BINDHEIMITE

    Class : Oxides and hydroxides
    Subclass : Oxides
    Crystal System : Cubic
    Chemistry : Pb2Sb2O6(O,OH)
    Rarity : Fairly common

Bindheimite is a relatively common lead-antimony oxide in the oxidized zones of lead-antimony mineralization. Its name was given to it in honor of the German chemist Johan Jacob Bindheim who established the first chemical analysis of the mineral. It occurs in dense compact cryptocrystalline masses, sometimes earthy, in concretionary kidney-shaped nodules, or sometimes in fibrous aggregates (probably pseudomorphs), it is also found in newly formed dendritic crystals in certain slags. Its color is variable : usually yellow to brown, sometimes reddish brown or greenish, rarely grey, white or red.

Main photo : Bindheimite pseudomorph after boulangerite from Ludwig Mine, Freiburg, Germany © Joachim Esche

Bindheimite pseudomorph after nadorite from Djebel Nador, Algeria © J.-P. Barral
Bindheimite pseudomorph after jamesonite from Cava del Ferro, Italy © Alessio Becucci
Neoformed bindheimite from Genna zinc melter slag, Germany © Michael Förch
Bindheimite pseudomorph after bournonite from Loiras, Hérault, France © Alain Tuel

Bindheimite in the World

Its deposits are numerous. Bindheimite is found in fine assemblages at Djebel Nador (Algeria), in numerous American deposits such as Lovelock and Arabia (Nevada), Tintic (Utah), in the gossans of English polymetallic veins in Cornwall (St. Endellion) and Cumberland (Calbeck), in Italy, in Japan, etc...


Bindheimite in France

In France, bindheimite is identified in Cougnasses, near Orpierre (Hautes-Alpes) where it builds fibroradiated aggregates of 2 cm (pseudomorphosis of sulfosalts). Bindheimite is also known in Malines mine (Gard) and Usclas-du-Bosc (Hérault).

Twinning and special crystallizations

No twins known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fake or treatment recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 4 to 4.5
Density : 4.6 to 8.4
Fracture : Conchoidal
Trace : White to yellow

TP : Translucent to opaque
RI : 1.84 to 1.87
Birefringence : 0
Optical character : None
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : Hydrochloric and nitric acid

Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None