Massicot

Massicot
Massicot

Massicot, Cerro Gordo Mine, Inyo County, California
General
Category Oxide minerals
Chemical formula PbO
Strunz classification 04.AC.25

Massicot is one of the natural mineral forms of lead(II) oxide, PbO. Massicot is the orthorhombic dimorph of the tetragonal form of lead oxide, litharge. It forms soft (Mohs hardness of 2) yellow to reddish-yellow, earthy, scaley masses which are very dense, with a specific gravity of 9.64.

It was first described in 1841 for an occurrence in Stolberg, near Aachen, Germany. Massicot is French for "lead oxide".

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