Common mineral of the carbonates and nitrates class, member of the Aragonite Group
Cerussite from Tsumeb, Namibia
Origin of name: from Latin cerussa meaning white lead, which was used in paints and cosmetics
Synonyms and trade names: lead spar, white lead, lead carbonate
Can be confused with: due to the extremely high specific gravity cerussite can only be confused with other very dense minerals like cassiterite, scheelite, wulfenite or stibiotantalite
Localities: very common, more than 5300 localities are known (2022). However, only cerussite from Tsumed, Namibia, is of gemmological interest. Other deposits like Broken Hill, NSW, Australia or Clausthal-Zellerfeld in Niedersachsen, Germany, supply beautiful mineral specimens .
Handling: cerussite is soft, notoriously brittle and heat-sensitive. It cleaves well and is sensitive to acids and brines. All this unfortunately renders it completely unsuitable for jewellery use. However, the excellent luster, the spectacularly high dispersion (the so-called fire, significantly higher than in diamond) and last but not least it´s rarity make cerussite an attractive collector´s stone.
Worth knowing: due to it´s high content of lead cerussite must be considered poisonous. Be very careful when cutting cerussite, do not inhale the dust!