mimetite

/mim"i tuyt', muy"mi-/, n.

a mineral, lead chloroarsenate, Pb₅As₃O₁₂Cl, occurring in yellow to brown prismatic crystals or globular masses: a minor ore of lead.

[1850-55; < Gk mimet(és) imitator (equiv. to mime- (see MIMESIS) + -tes agent suffix) + -ITE¹]

* * *

▪ mineral

      arsenate mineral, lead chloride arsenate [Pb₅(AsO₄)₃Cl], in the pyromorphite series of the apatite group of phosphates. Its colour ranges from brown to olive green, yellow, or orange. It greatly resembles pyromorphite (q.v.), in which phosphorus replaces arsenic in the crystal structure; mimetite is similar in physical characteristics and mode of occurrence (barrel-shaped crystals or rounded masses) but is less common. Mimetite also forms a continuous solid-solution series with vanadinite in which vanadium replaces mimetite's arsenic in the crystal structure. Campylite is any member of the pyromorphite-mimetite series distinguished by distorted crystals with curved faces. For detailed physical properties, see arsenate mineral (table).

* * *