The application of Raman spectroscopy to the study of the mixed cationic Pb-Cu and Pb-Cu-Ag minerals: boleite, cumengeite and diaboleite has enabled their molecular structures to be compared. Each of these three minerals shows different hydroxyl-stretching vibrational patterns, but some similarity exists in the Raman spectra of the hydroxyl-deformation modes. The low-wavenumber region is characterized by the bands assigned to the cation-chloride stretching and bending modes. Phosgenite is also a mixed chloride-carbonate mineral and a comparison is made with the molecular structure of the aforementioned minerals. Raman spectroscopy lends itself to the study of these types of minerals in complex mineral systems of secondary mineral formation.

The crystal structure of barstowite (3PbCl2·PbCO3·H2O, P21/m, a = 4.2023(5), b = 9.2020(7), c = 16.6608(6)(Å), β = 91.829(9)°) from Bounds Cliff, St Endellion, Cornwall, has been determined to an R = 0.036. The structure can be described in terms of three layers stacked along [001] in the sequence …CACBCACBC… to give a 16.7 Å repeat. Layer A consists of face-sharing PbCl8 distorted square antiprisms. Layer B is composed of Pb coordinated to 5 Cl and 2 O each with two H to form H2O groups. Layer C is formed by Pb coordinated to 5 Cl and 3 O which are from CO3 groups. The H positions are deduced and are H-bonded to O from carbonates. The structural details were in agreement with previous deductions based on infrared spectra.