Formula: PbMoO4
Molybdate, forms a solid-solution series with stolzite
Specific gravity: 6.7 to 6.9
Hardness: 3
Streak: White
Colour: Yellow to orange-red, blue, grey
Solubility: Slightly soluble in hydrochloric, sulphuric and nitric acid
Environments:
Carbonatites
Hydrothermal environments (typical)
Wulfenite is a secondary mineral that generally forms in massive
hydrothermal replacement deposits. It is also found in the oxidation zone of
hypothermal (high temperature) lead veins
with other secondary lead minerals, especially
cerussite,
vanadinite and
pyromorphite, and in carbonatites.
At the Erupcion-Ahumada mine, Los Lamentos, Chihuahua, Mexico, wulfenite occurs on a massive
limestone matrix, and a boulder of
calcite covered with wulfenite crystals has been found there. Pseudomorphs of
vanadinite after wulfenite have also been found, as well as
vanadinite on hemimorphite that
has replaced wulfenite (R&M 94.1.40-41, 58).
At the Apex mine, San Carlos, Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico, wulfenite is found on
dolomite (R&M 94.1.38).
At the Ojuela mine, Mapimi, Mexico, wulfenite is associated with mimetite and
mottramite, and some specimens have calcite
crystals perched on them. Pseudomorphs of quartz after wulfenite, associated with
smithsonite have been found here, as well as pseudomorphs of
duftite after wulfenite associated with
calcite, mimetite and
goethite (R&M 94.1.36-37, 58).
At the San Francisco mine, Rancho Cerro Prieto, Near Cucurpe, Sonora, Mexico, wulfenite is associated with
mimetite and may be replaced by it (R&M 94.1.43-44, 58).
At the Tsumeb mine, Namibia, pseudomorphs of bayldonite,
conichalcite, dolomite,
malachite, smithsonite,
stolzite, mottramite and
duftite after wulfenite have been found, but they are extremely rare
(R&M 94.1.54-59). Wulfenite has been found as an encrustation on the termination of a crystal of an
arsentsumebite (or possibly bayldonite)
replacement after mimetite (R&M 94.1.71-72). Very common associates are
calcite, dolomite,
duftite, malachite and
mimetite. Moderately common associates are
azurite, cerussite,
dioptase, goethite,
hematite, mottramite,
quartz and smithsonite. Rare or very
rare associates are adamite, alamosite,
anglesite, aragonite,
arsentsumebite, bayldonite,
beudantite, biehlite,
conichalcite, copper,
cuprite, devilline,
feinglosite, kaolinite,
kegelite, leadhillite,
lukrahnite, molybdofornacite,
olivenite, rhodochrosite,
rosasite, scorodite,
serpierite, tenorite,
tsumcorite, willemite,
zincgartrellite and
zincolivenite
(R&M 94.1.77).
Two commonly observed parageneses for wulfenite are:
goethite > wulfenite > mimetite >
malachite, and
(hematite plus goethite) > wulfenite (i)
> duftite > wulfenite (ii)
A third, rare paragenesis is:
primary sulphides > wulfenite > alamosite >
kegelite > leadhillite >
cerussite
(R&M 94.1.78).
At the Sachaverel farm, Winster, Derbyshire, England, UK, wulfenite is associated with
pyromorphite, galena and
fluorite
(RES p109).
At Breedon quarry, Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire, England, UK, wulfenite is associated with
galena and cerussite
(RES p203).
In Arizona, USA, wulfenite crystals may be coated by younger minerals, frequently quartz,
calcite and second generation wulfenite
(R&M 94.1.12).
At the Hilltop mine, Cochise county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite often occurs on calcite
(R&M 94.1.18).
At the SilverBill-Mystery mine, Cochise county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite commonly occurs with a coating of
calcite (R&M 94.1.12).
At the Finch mine, Gila county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite typically occurs as crystals coated with a microcrystalline
quartz druse. Pseudomorphs of quartz,
hemimorphite, descloizite and
vanadinite after wulfenite have also been found here, and associated minerals include
calcite
(R&M 94.1.14, 57).
At the 79 mine, Gila county, Arizona, USA, pseudomorphs of quartz and
hemimorphite after wulfenite have been found (R&M 94.1.57).
At the Total Wreck mine, Pima county, Arizona, USA, Pseudomorphs of mottramite
after wulfenite have been found (R&M 94.1.28, 58).
At the Mammoth-St Anthony mine, Pinal county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite is sometimes associated with
mimetite and other secondary minerals such as
sauconite, dioptase and
cerussite. Pseudomorphs of
descloizite after wulfenite have been found here
(R&M 94.1.18, 58).
At the Rowley mine, Maricopa county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite commonly occurs on a baryte
matrix associated with mimetite (R&M 94.1.23). Pseudomorphs of
vanadinite after wulfenite have been found here (R&M 94.1.28).
At the Glove mine, Santa Cruz county, Arizona, USA, wulfenite sometimes occurs with inclusions or coatings of manganese
oxide minerals, or it may be replaced by them (R&M 94.1.14-18). Pseudomorphs of
descloizite and mottramite after
wulfenite have been found here (R&M 94.1.28).
At the Red Cloud copper mine, Lincoln county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite is associated with
mottramite, vanadinite and
mimetite (R&M 94.1.65).
At the Surprise mine, Luna county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite has been found on
galena that has been partially altered to
cerussite (R&M 94.1.65, R&M 94.3.236-237).
From the Anira mine, Santa Fe county, New Mexico, USA, a specimen of massive wulfenite with minor iron gossan and
calcite has been found (R&M 94.1.65).
At the Big Chief mine, Sierra county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite has been found associated with
vanadinite (R&M 94.1.65).
At the Macy mine, Sierra county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite is found on limestone
(R&M 94.1.62).
At the Petroglyph mine, Sierra county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite is often coated with
chalcedony (R&M 94.1.65).
From the Graphic mine, Socorro county, New Mexico, USA, a specimen has been found with wulfenite on
malachite (R&M 94.1.63).
At the Lemitar mounains, Sorocco county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite is often associated with
fluorite and cerussite (R&M 94.1.65).
At the Mex-Tex and Blanchard mines, Socorro county, New Mexico, USA, some wulfenite pseudomorphs after
galena have been found (R&M 94.1.64).
At the Ora tunnel and Hickey mine, Socorro county, New Mexico, USA, wulfenite has been found on
baryte and fluorite, and associated with
oxidised galena (R&M 94.1.64).
At the Kabwe mine, Central Province, Zambia, wulfenite is extremely rare, but it has been found in a cavity
with quartz (R&M).
Common impurities: W,Ca,V,As,Cr,W,Ti
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