Vanadates

Built around the vanadate anion VO₄³⁻, this group sits in the same Strunz class as phosphates and arsenates, which all share the same tetrahedral structure. Vanadates form almost entirely in the oxidized zones of metal ore deposits, where they take on vivid red, orange and yellow colors. Vanadinite, prized for its brilliant red hexagonal crystals, is the most collected member of the group, alongside descloizite and carnotite.