This series is a little different than most chemical series which involve substitution of cations such as calcium for magnesium. Vanadinite is usually red which the other members of this series and apatite group usually are not. Vanadinite's classic crystal habit is short hexagonal prisms terminated by a pinacoid, or flat basal face. These crystals are wider than they are long and are more blade-like than the barrel shaped crystals so common to the Apatite Group minerals. The high luster and deep red color give vanadinite a nice appeal to mineral collectors.
Color is typically bright red to orange, less commonly gray or brown.
Luster is vitreous to adamantine. Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. Crystal Habit is typically the hexagonal prism with pinacoid as a termination. Rare crystals can have the hexagonal pyramid as a termination. Can also be found as rounded masses and crusts.