Cerussite
Sample of cerussite-bearing quartzite
General
Category	Carbonate mineral
Chemical formula	Lead carbonate: PbCO3
Identification
Color	Colorless, white, gray, blue, or green
Crystal habit	Massive granular, reticulate, tabular to equant crystals
Crystal system	Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Twinning	Simple or cyclic contact twins
Cleavage	Good [110] and [021]
Fracture	Brittle conchoidal
Mohs Scale hardness	3 to 3. Carbonate minerals are those Minerals containing the Carbonate Ion: CO32- A chemical formula is a way of expressing information about the Atoms that constitute a particular Chemical compound, and how the relationship between those atoms changes In Mineralogy, shape and size give rise to descriptive terms applied to the typical appearance or habit of Crystals The many terms used by mineralogists A crystal system is a category of Space groups which characterize Symmetry of structures in three dimensions with Translational symmetry in three directions In Crystallography, the orthorhombic Crystal system is one of the seven Lattice Point groups Orthorhombic lattices result from stretching Crystal twinning occurs when two separate crystals share some of the same Crystal lattice points in a symmetrical manner Cleavage, in Mineralogy, is the tendency of crystalline materials to split along definite planes creating smooth surfaces of which there are several named types In the field of Mineralogy, fracture is a term used to describe the shape and texture of the surface formed when a Mineral is broken The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various Minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material 5
Luster	Adamantine, vitreous, resinous
Refractive index	nα = 1. Lustre (or luster) is a description of the way light interacts with the surface of a Crystal, rock, or Mineral. The refractive index (or index of Refraction) of a medium is a measure for how much the speed of light (or other waves such as sound waves is reduced inside the medium 803 nβ = 2. 074 nγ = 2. 076
Optical Properties	Biaxial (-)
Birefringence	δ = 0. Birefringence, or double refraction, is the decomposition of a ray of Light into two rays (the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray 273
Streak	White
Specific gravity	6. The streak (also called powder color) of a Mineral is the Color of the powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the Density of a given solid or liquid substance to the density of water at a specific temperature and pressure typically 53 - 6. 57
Diaphaneity	Transparent to translucent
Other Characteristics	May fluoresce yellow under LW UV
References	[1][2]

Cerussite (also known as lead carbonate or white lead ore) is a mineral consisting of lead carbonate (PbCO₃), and an important ore of lead. White lead is the chemical compound (PbCO32·Pb(OH2 It was formerly used as an ingredient for Lead paint and a cosmetic called Venetian A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly In Chemistry, a carbonate is a salt or Ester of Carbonic acid. An ore is a volume of rock containing components or Minerals in a mode of occurrence that renders it valuable for mining The name is from the Latin cerussa, white lead. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Cerussa nativa was mentioned by Conrad Gessner in 1565, and in 1832 F. S. Beudant applied the name cruse to the mineral, whilst the present form, cerussite, is due to W. Haidinger (1845). Konrad Gessner (Conrad Gessner Conrad Geßner Conrad von Gesner Conradus Gesnerus Conrad Gesner 26 March 1516 – 13 December 1565) François Sulpice Beudant ( September 5, 1787 - December 10, 1850) French Mineralogist and Geologist, was born Wilhelm Karl Ritter von Haidinger (or Wilhelm von Haidinger) ( February 5, 1795 &ndash March 19, 1871) was an Austrian Miners' names in early use were lead-spar and white-lead-ore.

Cerussite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and is isomorphous with aragonite. In Materials science, a crystal is a Solid in which the constituent Atoms Molecules or Ions are packed in a regularly ordered repeating In Crystallography, the orthorhombic Crystal system is one of the seven Lattice Point groups Orthorhombic lattices result from stretching Aragonite is a Carbonate mineral, one of the two common naturally occurring polymorphs of Calcium carbonate, Ca[[carbon C]] O 3 Like aragonite it is very frequently twinned, the compound crystals being pseudo-hexagonal in form. Crystal twinning occurs when two separate crystals share some of the same Crystal lattice points in a symmetrical manner Three crystals are usually twinned together on two faces of the prism, producing six-rayed stellate groups with the individual crystals intercrossing at angles of nearly 60°. Crystals are of frequent occurrence and they usually have very bright and smooth faces. The mineral also occurs in compact granular masses, and sometimes in fibrous forms. The mineral is usually colorless or white, sometimes grey or greenish in tint and varies from transparent to translucent with an adamantine lustre. It is very brittle, and has a conchoidal fracture. It has a Mohs hardness of 3 to 3. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various Minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material 75 and a specific gravity of 6. Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the Density of a given solid or liquid substance to the density of water at a specific temperature and pressure typically 5. A variety containing 7 % of zinc carbonate, replacing lead carbonate, is known as iglesiasite, from Iglesias in Sardinia, where it is found. Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily)

The mineral may be readily recognized by its characteristic twinning, in conjunction with the adamantine lustre and high specific gravity. It dissolves with effervescence in dilute nitric acid. Nitric acid ( H[[nitrate NO3]] also known as Aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and A blowpipe test will cause it to fuse very readily, and gives indications for lead.

As crystaline ore

Finely crystallized specimens have been obtained from the Friedrichssegen mine near Ems in Nassau, Johanngeorgenstadt in Saxony, Mies in Bohemia, Phenixville in Pennsylvania, Broken Hill, New South Wales; and several other localities. The Ems (Ems Eems is a River in northwestern Germany and northeastern Netherlands. For further meanings of "Nassau" see Nassau. Nassau is a town located in the German Land (State of Rhineland-Palatinate Johanngeorgenstadt is a mining town in Saxony ’s Ore Mountains, 17 km south of Aue, and 27 km northwest of Karlovy Vary. The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Mies is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern For the Local Government Area of Broken Hill see City of Broken Hill Broken Hill is an isolated Mining city and Local Government Area Delicate acicular crystals of considerable length were found long ago in the Pentire Glaze mine near St Minver in Cornwall. St Minver is a small village in North Cornwall, United Kingdom. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar It is often found in considerable quantities, and contains as much as 77. 5% of lead.

Lead(II) carbonate is practically insoluble in neutral water (solubility product [Pb²⁺][CO₃^2-] ≈ 1. 5x10^-13 at 25 °C), but will dissolve in dilute acids.

Commercial uses

"White lead" is the key ingredient in the (now discontinued) lead paints. White lead is the chemical compound (PbCO32·Pb(OH2 It was formerly used as an ingredient for Lead paint and a cosmetic called Venetian Lead paint is Paint containing Lead, a heavy metal, that is used as pigment with Lead(II chromate ( Pb[[Chromium Cr]] O4 Ingestion of lead-based paint chips is the most common cause of lead poisoning in children. Lead poisoning (also known as saturnism, plumbism, or painter's colic) is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the metal Lead in ^[3]

Both "white lead" and lead acetate have been used in cosmetics throughout history, though this practice has ceased in Western countries. Lead(II acetate is a Chemical compound, a white crystalline substance with a Sweetish taste ^[4]

Crystals of cerussite, a secondary lead ore

See also

• Venetian Ceruse - Cerussite based cosmetic worn by Elizabeth I of England. Venetian ceruse, also known as " spirits of Saturn " was a Skin whitening cosmetic used in the 16th century with a base of White lead

References

• Mineral galleries
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone