The facts
What vanadinite actually is
Vanadinite is classified as apatite supergroup, with the composition Pb₅(VO₄)₃Cl. It crystallises in the hexagonal system.
Colour comes from v⁵⁺–O charge transfer in the vanadate group giving the intense orange-red, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 2.350–2.416. Specific gravity around 6.6–7.1. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where vanadinite comes from
Vanadinite is produced at Mibladen and ACF Mine, Midelt, Morocco, Apache Mine, Gila County, Arizona, USA, Touissit, Morocco and Djebel Mahseur, Morocco.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How vanadinite is treated
Untreated, but Moroccan specimens are very commonly acid-cleaned and the matrix is sometimes artificially assembled from loose crystals glued to barite plates — a well-known Mibladen practice. Faceted vanadinite is almost unknown outside micro-stones because of the softness, density and lead content.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What vanadinite is confused with
In the trade vanadinite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Wulfenite, Mimetite, Crocoite or Descloizite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 2.350–2.416 and specific gravity 6.6–7.1 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What vanadinite is used for
Demand for vanadinite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 3–4; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What vanadinite costs
As a guide, vanadinite trades around Specimens $20–$3,000 depending on crystal size and matrix quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is vanadinite treated, and how?
Untreated, but Moroccan specimens are very commonly acid-cleaned and the matrix is sometimes artificially assembled from loose crystals glued to barite plates — a well-known Mibladen practice. Faceted vanadinite is almost unknown outside micro-stones because of the softness, density and lead content.
Where does vanadinite come from?
Mibladen and ACF Mine, Midelt, Morocco, Apache Mine, Gila County, Arizona, USA, Touissit, Morocco and Djebel Mahseur, Morocco. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is vanadinite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3–4 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does vanadinite cost?
Indicatively Specimens $20–$3,000 depending on crystal size and matrix quality. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is vanadinite confused with?
Most often Wulfenite, Mimetite, Crocoite and Descloizite. A refractive index of 2.350–2.416 and a specific gravity near 6.6–7.1 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for vanadinite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about vanadinite