The chemical formula of fiedlerite, a rare hydrated lead halide, has been revised. The mineral is now known to contain also fluorine, and the new, correct formula is Pb3Cl4F(OH)·H2O. X-ray diffraction studies on fiedlerite from Laurion, Greece (the type locality), and from Baratti, Italy (the second known occurrence), revealed its Order-Disorder (OD) character. All structures within this OD family can be built up by layers of the same kind. The two polytypes with Maximum Degree of Order (MDO) display triclinic and monoclinic symmetry, with one and two OD layers, respectively, in the unit cell. On these grounds the nomenclature of fiedlerite has been revised, and the mineral is designated together with the polytype suffix (i.e. fiedlerite-1A, fiedlerite-2M). The crystal structures of the two MDO polytypes of fiedlerite have been solved and refined: fiedlerite-1A: P, a = 8.574(3) Å, b = 8.045(4), c = 7.276(2), α = 89.96(4)° β = 102.05(4), γ = 103.45(4), R = 0.092; fiedlerite-2M: P21/a, a = 16.681(4) Å, b = 8.043(3), c = 7.281(2), β = 102.56(4)°, R = 0.061. In both structures Pb is eight-coordinated by different ligands [CI−, F−, (OH)−, H2O] that define bicapped trigonal prisms.

Penfieldite is a lead hydroxychloride mineral with composition Pb2Cl3(OH). It belongs to the hexagonal system, space group P, a = 11.393(3), c = 4.024(1) Å. The 4 Å c parameter corresponds to the basic sub-cell, whereas modulated structures are known with a true c axis 12 times longer. The average crystal structure of penfieldite has been solved with direct methods and refined to Rw = 0.041 for 871 refections collected with Mo-Kα radiation. The chemical and structural relationships between penfeldite and laurelite, Pb2F3(F,Cl,OH), are briefly discussed. An electron diffraction study of penfieldite revealed the occurrence, besides the common modulated structure with C = 12c, of domains with a 15c periodicity. Moreover, a 9c periodicity has been observed in crystals heated at 180°C Penfieldite is quickly destroyed above 200°C.

The crystal structure of the rare secondary lead mineral georgiadesite has been solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.071). The structure can be visualized in terms of alternating puckered (100) layers of [Pbϕ6] octahedra and [Pbϕ8] bicapped trigonal prisms (ϕ = generic anion). Lead also occurs in irregular, lopsided polyhedra. This structural study shows unambiguously that arsenic occurs as As3+ and not as As5+. The chemical formula of georgiadesite has therefore been revised, on structural grounds, to Pb4(AsO3)Cl4(OH).