Carbonate of lead, "cerussite," from the Evening Star Mine, Leadville, Colorado
- Made:
- before 1889
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Carbonate of lead, "cerussite," from the Evening Star Mine, Leadville, Colorado
Cerussite, lead carbonate, or ‘white lead’ is a mineral ore of lead. It was a key ingredient in lead paints historically, including in cosmetic paints. Venetian ceruse, an Elizabethan cosmetic thought the be used by Queen Elizabeth I, is made from this mineral. The mineral is toxic to humans, with lead poisoning causing much damage to the body and eventually leading to death.
