Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.Phosgenite is a rare mineral consisting of lead chlorocarbonate, (PbCl)2CO3. The tetragonal, holosymmetric, crystals are prismatic or tabular in habit, and are bounded by smooth, bright faces: they are usually colorless and transparent, and have a brilliant adamantine lustre. Sometimes the crystals have a curious helical twist about the tetrad or principal axis. The hardness is 3 and the specific gravity 6.3. The mineral is rather sectile, and consequently was earlier known as corneous lead. The fanciful name phosgenite was given by A. Breithaupt in 1820, from phosgene, carbon oxychloride, because the mineral contains the elements carbon, oxygen and chlorine.