Sartarite

Sartarite is a rare mineral belonging to the phosphate group. Its chemical formula is PbZn(PO4)2, meaning it is a lead zinc phosphate. Sartarite typically crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It is often found as small, prismatic crystals or granular aggregates. The color of sartarite can range from colorless and white to pale yellow or greenish. It has a vitreous to greasy luster and a hardness of approximately 4 on the Mohs scale, indicating it is a relatively soft mineral. Its specific gravity is around 4.4.

Sartarite is a secondary mineral, meaning it forms through the weathering and alteration of other primary minerals. It is typically found in oxidized zones of lead-zinc deposits. The mineral was first described in 1971 and named after the Sartar mine in Tajikistan, where it was discovered. While not an economically important ore of lead or zinc, sartarite is of interest to mineral collectors and geologists due to its rarity and its association with complex hydrothermal environments. It is often found in association with other secondary phosphates like smithsonite, hemimorphite, and hopeite.