Lopezite : an extremely dangerous fake !

For a good ten years, it has been possible to find lopezite (or lopezite) minerals on the market, generally labeled "Poland" but not exclusively. It appears in the form of bright orange tabular crystals that can be confused by neophytes with wulfenite. Prices range from a few dozen euros to several hundred...

Lopezite is actually potassium dichromate that is crystallized in the laboratory on a piece of rock. By saturating a solution of distilled water with this product with its strong oxidizing property, it is possible to precipitate beautiful orange crystals in the same way as copper sulfate crystals or salts are precipitated.

Potassium dichromate is a non-innocuous industrial product, it is extremely toxic both for humans and for the environment, it is corrosive, it is also a sensitizer, mutagen, carcinogen and reprotoxic, just that !

These lopezite crystals are also soluble in water, so they are not very stable and will leave yellowish to orange marks on your fingers if you touch them, which means that this type of object should not be placed on the market without warning. , a child could easily put this "stone" in his mouth !