Outstanding rossettes of hexagonal colorless microcrystals of the rare mineral wickenburgite. From: Potter Cramer Mine, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States of America. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wickenburgite
Wickenburgite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula Pb₃CaAl₂Si₁₀O₂₇·4H₂O.
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group P31c).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 3.85; Vitreous luster; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Wbu, IMA status: approved, named in 1968.
Found in oxidized hydrothermal veins, carrying galena and sphalerite, in quartz and fluorite gangue (near Wickenburg, Arizona, USA).
It is found associated with Phoenicochroite, mimetite, cerussite, willemite, crocoite, duftite, hemihedrite, alamosite, melanotekite, luddenite, ajoite, shattuckite, vauquelinite.
The name refers to Wickenburg, Arizona, USA, the community near which it was discovered.