Vanadinite is a mineral belonging to the phosphate group (apatite group). It is recognized by its surprising and interesting hexagonal crystal system. It is a lead chlorovanadate with the chemical formula Pb5(VO4)3Cl and is mainly composed of lead (over 70%), vanadium, oxygen, and chlorine. Known for its intense and brilliant red, vanadinite is also found in reddish-orange, yellow, or brown hues.
Highly prized by collectors, the vanadinites offered by Terrae Minéraux have been selected for their crystal quality and color intensity, varying mainly from a dazzling bright red to a pale brown with beautiful, near-perfect hexagonal crystals, making them true collector's stones. They all come from Mibladen in the Midelt province of Morocco, a region known for its many varieties of raw stones such as baryte, malachite, azurite, aragonite, cerussite, wulfenite, calcite, quartz, and amethyst.
In terms of deposits, vanadinite is found in Africa (Morocco, Namibia, or Congo), North America (Colorado, Arizona, or South Dakota), South America (Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina), and also in Europe (although much rarer), such as in Italy, Spain, or France, where microcrystals of vanadinite can be found at several sites including the Mine des Montmins (Allier), Crozet (Loire), Saint-Bresson (Haute-Saône), Plouguin (Finistère), Port-d'Agrès (Aveyron), but also in the region where Terrae Minéraux was founded, in Urbeis in Haut-Rhin and Val d'Ajol in the Vosges.
