Alabandite is a rare manganese sulfide mineral that typically occurs as massive, granular, or rarely cubic crystals. It is easily identified by its characteristic brown streak and association with other manganese-rich minerals in hydrothermal or metamorphic environments.
Is this albandite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch albandite with a known reference. Albandite sits at Mohs 3.5-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Albandite leaves a brown streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Albandite typically shows a submetallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brownish-black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: granular, massive.
Often confused with
Albandite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Albandite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5); streak differs, so Albandite leaves brown, Galena leaves lead-gray; luster reads submetallic on Albandite and metallic on Galena.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Albandite leaves brown, Sphalerite leaves white to yellow-brown; luster reads submetallic on Albandite and resinous to submetallic on Sphalerite.
Often found alongside albandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with albandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnS
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 4.05 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brown
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Granular, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Contact Metamorphic Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-150 per specimen
Where rockhounds find albandite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Alabanda, Turkey
- Franklin, New Jersey, USA
- Kawazul, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, contact metamorphic deposits country, the host setting where albandite typically forms. If you start seeing rhodochrosite, willemite, franklinite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a granular, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify albandite?+
Where is albandite found?+
Can I find albandite in the United States?+
How much is albandite worth?+
What rocks look like albandite?+
What minerals are found with albandite?+
What kind of rock does albandite form in?+
What is albandite used for?+
Find albandite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
