釩鉛礦

Vanadinite is a lead vanadate of the apatite supergroup and the principal ore of vanadium. Bright orange-red hexagonal prisms perched on barite or quartz matrix – usually small but extraordinarily saturated in color – have made it one of the iconic photogenic specimens in collecting. Mibladen and Touissit in Morocco are the world references; Chinese occurrences are minor and sporadic.

Notable varieties

• Endlichite (As-rich variety; gradational toward Mimetite)
• Cavernous skeletal crystals (Apache Mine, Arizona)

The Chinese angle

Chinese vanadinite occurrences are minor and not internationally significant. Reports from Qinglong (Guizhou) and small Hunan localities exist but yield is sporadic and generally non-collector grade. Most vanadinite in the international collector market traces to Mibladen, Touissit, or Apache Mine. This species is included in the encyclopedia for completeness rather than for Chinese specimen significance.