Susannite
Susannite is a lead carbonate sulfate mineral with the formula Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2. It commonly forms small, prismatic to tabular crystals that can exhibit a pale green to colorless appearance and a subtle vitreous to pearly lustre. Crystals are typically embedded in aluminous or carbonate-rich gangue, often displaying complex intergrowths that highlight its delicate pseudo-cubic or elongated shapes. The mineral’s structure includes carbonate and sulfate groups coordinated around lead, producing a mineral that is more often found as microcrystals or aggregates rather than large, stand-alone crystals.
- Formula
- Pb4(CO3)2(SO4)(OH)2
- Rarity
- Rare
- Stability
- Moderately Stable
- Collector interest
- Moderate Interest
About Susannite
Notable specimens have been reported from the United Kingdom, where local geology can provide the right assemblage of lead-bearing minerals and carbonate-rich environments. Specimens tend to be modest in size but are valued for their crisp terminations and the rarity of the species in many collections. Collectors prize susannite for its rarity, its clean crystal habit when preserved, and the satisfaction of displaying a relatively obscure lead-containing mineral. Its association with other lead minerals can add context to a carefully curated display, reflecting the mineral’s unique composition and formation conditions.