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Formula: PbCu3(VO4)2Cl2
Anhydrous vanadate
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 4.81 measured, 4.97 calculated
Hardness: 4½
Streak: Orange-red
Colour: Intense red
Luminescence:
Solubility: Relatively stable in air up to 425oC, where it breaks down chiefly to
vanadinite, insoluble in water
Environments
Although leningradite was approved in 1988, to date (October 2025) it has been reported only from the
type locality.
Localities
At the type locality, the Second scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Fissure eruption, Tolbachik Volcanic
field, Milkovsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, leningradite occurs as rhombic tablets or flakes up to
0.3 mm maximum dimension and in globules up to 0.6 mm across. The latter may have either a radial or tangential
internal orientation of crystals. Crystals are red, vitreous lustre, orange-red streak, and one perfect cleavage. In
transmitted light, it is transparent, red with gold tones.
Leningradite is a product of fumarolic activity, deposited at about 140oC; it is associated with
anglesite, hematite,
lammerite and tolbachite
(AM 76.1434-1435, HOM).
Leningradite from the Great Fissure eruption -
Image
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