Mineral · Scheelite group
Wulfenite
Pb(MoO4)
Wulfenite is lead molybdate, the orange, yellow and red square tabular crystals of the Red Cloud Mine (Arizona, the finest ever), Los Lamentos and Ojuela (Mexico), Mibladen (Morocco) and Tsumeb. Red Cloud wulfenite is among the most sought-after American minerals. The thin plates are fragile and the mineral contains lead.
| Formula | Pb(MoO4) |
|---|---|
| IMA status | grandfathered |
| Crystal system | Tetragonal |
| Mohs hardness | 2.5–3 |
| Group | Scheelite group |
| Type locality | Bad Bleiberg, Carinthia, Austria |
| Streak | White |
| Specific gravity | 6.8 |
| Reference list | IMA List of Minerals (RRUFF) — verify formula and status against the current list |
Fakes and treatments
Loose Mibladen wulfenite plates are glued onto matrix by some Moroccan dealers; look for glue lines under magnification and UV.
Handling and safety
Contains lead; handle by the matrix and wash hands.
Elsewhere
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Wulfenite" (Mineral). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19. https://stratum.black/study/minerals/wulfenite. Accessed 2026-09-20.
@misc{stratum-wulfenite,
title = {Wulfenite},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/minerals/wulfenite}},
year = {2026},
note = {Mineral article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-20.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.