Mimetite

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title: "Mimetite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["lead-minerals", "halide-minerals", "arsenate-minerals", "hexagonal-minerals", "minerals-in-space-group-176", "luminescent-minerals", "minerals-described-in-1835"] description: "Lead arsenate chloride mineral" topic_path: "general/lead-minerals" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Lead arsenate chloride mineral ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mineral"]

Field	Value
boxbgcolor	#9c7a36
boxtextcolor	#fff
category	Arsenate minerals
Apatite group
image	Mimetite - Congreso-León mines, San Pedro Corralitos, Chihuahua, Mexico.jpg
imagesize	275px
caption	Golden-yellow botryoidal mimetite from Congreso-León mines, Mexico
formula	Pb5(AsO4)3Cl
IMAsymbol	Mim
strunz	8.BN.05
system	Hexagonal
class	Dipyramidal (6/m)
(same H-M symbol)
symmetry	P63/m
unit cell	a = 10.250(2) Å,
c = 7.454(1) Å; Z = 2
color	Pale to bright yellow, yellowish brown, yellow-orange, white, may be colorless
habit	Prismatic to acicular crystals; reniform, botryoidal, globular,
twinning	Rare on {112}
cleavage	[101] Imperfect
fracture	Brittle, conchoidal
tenacity	Brittle
mohs	3.5–4
luster	Resinous, subadamantine
refractive	nω = 2.147 nε = 2.128
opticalprop	Uniaxial (−), anomalously biaxial
birefringence	0.019
pleochroism	Weak
streak	White
gravity	7.1–7.24
diaphaneity	Transparent to translucent
references
::

| boxbgcolor=#9c7a36| name = Mimetite | boxtextcolor = #fff | category = Arsenate minerals Apatite group | boxwidth = | image = Mimetite - Congreso-León mines, San Pedro Corralitos, Chihuahua, Mexico.jpg | imagesize = 275px | caption = Golden-yellow botryoidal mimetite from Congreso-León mines, Mexico | formula = Pb5(AsO4)3Cl | IMAsymbol = Mim | strunz = 8.BN.05 | system = Hexagonal | class = Dipyramidal (6/m) (same H-M symbol) | symmetry = P63/m | unit cell = a = 10.250(2) Å, c = 7.454(1) Å; Z = 2 | color = Pale to bright yellow, yellowish brown, yellow-orange, white, may be colorless | habit = Prismatic to acicular crystals; reniform, botryoidal, globular, | twinning = Rare on {112} | cleavage = [101] Imperfect | fracture = Brittle, conchoidal | tenacity = Brittle | mohs = 3.5–4 | luster = Resinous, subadamantine | refractive = nω = 2.147 nε = 2.128 | opticalprop = Uniaxial (−), anomalously biaxial | birefringence = 0.019 | pleochroism = Weak | streak = White | gravity = 7.1–7.24 | diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent | references =

Mimetite is a lead arsenate chloride mineral () which forms as a secondary mineral in lead deposits, usually by the oxidation of galena and arsenopyrite. The name derives from the Greek Μιμητής mimetes, meaning "imitator" and refers to mimetite's resemblance to the mineral pyromorphite. This resemblance is not coincidental, as mimetite forms a mineral series with pyromorphite () and with vanadinite (). Notable occurrences are Mapimi, Durango, Mexico, and Tsumeb, Namibia.

Properties

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Mimétite_21207.jpg" caption="Mimetite from [[Namibia"] ::

Mimetite typically forms short hexagonal crystals that are yellow to brown to orange in color, very brittle, moderately hard (Mohs hardness 3.5–4), and dense (specific gravity 7.24). It is distinctive for its lack of transparency, its resinous to adamantine luster, and its solubility in nitric acid.

Mimetite forms a complete solid solution series with pyromorphite, with phosphate () substituting for arsenate (). The two minerals are almost identical in their properties and can be difficult to distinguish except by laboratory tests. Pyromorphite is the more common mineral at most locales.

Campylite is a name applied to mimetite or pyromorphite that crystallizes as distinctive barrel-shaped crystals forming curved hemispherical aggregates.

Occurrences

Mimetite is found in association with lead and arsenic minerals, including pyromorphite, cerussite, hemimorphite, smithsonite, vanadinite, anglesite, pyrite, mottramite, willemite, and wulfenite. Good specimens have been reported from Gila County, Arizona, US; Ojocaliente, Zacatecas, Mexico; Cumberland, England; Johanngeorgenstadt, Saxony, Germany; Namibia; and Broken Hill, Australia.

Mimetite specimen gallery

File:Mimetite-139756.jpg|Mimetite from Tsumeb mine, Namibia File:Mimetite-cktsu-48a.jpg|Cluster of translucent, golden mimetite crystals File:Mimetite-289052.jpg|Spherical aggregates of botryoidal mimetite File:Mimetite-176701.jpg|Mimetite, Pingtouling Mine, Guangdong Province, China. Size: 2.2 x 2.1 x 1.8 cm

References

References

1. Warr, L.N.. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine.
2. "Handbook of Mineralogy". [[Mineralogical Society of America]].
3. {{mindat
4. (2014). "Mimetite Mineral Data". Webmineral.com.
5. (1964). "Mineralogy for amateurs". [[Wiley_(publisher)#History.
6. (2006-12-01). "A mass discreditation of GQN minerals". The Canadian Mineralogist.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::