abstract:Phosgenite is a rare mineral consisting of lead chlorocarbonate, (PbCl)2CO3. The tetragonal crystals are prismatic or tabular in habit: they are usually colorless and transparent, and have a brilliant adamantine lustre.
Laurionite andphosgenitedidn't occur naturally in and aroundEgypt, but ancientrecipesshowed that laurionite wassynthesisedby painstaking procedures, ofwhichphosgenite was a by-product.