Wulfenite

It's advisable to handle wulfenite carefully to avoid generating dust and wash hands thoroughly afterward. When cutting or polishing wulfenite, wear a dust mask to prevent inhaling heavy metal particles. Store wulfenite in a sealed container in a well-ventilated area, away from children and pets. For those involved in crystal healing, never put it in your mouth.

The crystals of wulfenite are usually more tabular and thinner than those of scheelite, however, the more pyramidal and prismatic crystals show distinct hemimorphism.

Wulfenite was first described in 1845 for an occurrence in Bad Bleiberg, Carinthia, Austria. It was named for Franz Xavier von Wulfen (1728–1805), an Austrian mineralogist. It occurs as a secondary mineral in oxidized hydrothermal lead deposits. It occurs with cerussite, anglesite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, vanadinite, pyromorphite, mimetite, descloizite, plattnerite and various iron and manganese oxides. A noted locality for wulfenite is the Red Cloud Mine in Arizona. Crystals are deep red in color and usually very well-formed. The Los Lamentos locality in Mexico produced very thick tabular orange crystals. Another locality is Mount Peca in Slovenia. The crystals are yellow, often with well-developed pyramids and bipyramids. In 1997, the crystal was depicted on a stamp by the Post of Slovenia. Lesser known localities of wulfenite include: Sherman Tunnel, St. Peter's Dome, Tincup-Tomichi-Moncarch mining districts, Pride of America mine and Bandora mine in Colorado. Small crystals also occur in Bulwell and Kirkby-in-Ashfield, England. These crystals occur in a galena-wulfenite-uraniferous asphaltite horizon in a magnesian limestone. The wulfenite found in this area is similar in properties (paragenetic sequence, low silver and antimony contents of the galenas and absence of pyromorphite) to the wulfenites of the Alps and may be similar in origin.

Wulfenite is a source of molybdenum in some areas. Molybdenum is used to increase the strength of alloys, as a lubricant additive, and in circuit board inks. This mineral is not commonly used for jewelry due to its softness, but is a popular specimen among collectors.

Wulfenite is a stone that is said to work with the Crown chakra to encourage spiritual growth and wisdom. It is believed to help with depression and self-doubt. It encourages its user to remain steadfast even when surrounded by negative forces or tempting challenges. It enables the person to find courage and replace doubt with confidence. Most helpful for those seeking to break away from toxic behaviors and move forward to a greater purpose in life.