Babingtonite is a striking silicate mineral typically found as lustrous, jet-black tabular crystals lining cavities in basaltic rocks. It is most famous among collectors for the classic, pristine crystals occurring in the hydrothermal veins of Massachusetts and the zeolite-rich cavities of India. It is easily distinguished by its vitreous luster and characteristic triclinic crystal morphology.
Is this babingtonite?
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 babingtonite with a known reference. Babingtonite sits at Mohs 5.5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Babingtonite leaves a greenish-black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Babingtonite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brownish-black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, sometimes in groups or rosettes.
Often confused with
Babingtonite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Babingtonite leaves greenish-black, Augite leaves grayish white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Babingtonite leaves greenish-black, Epidote leaves white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Babingtonite leaves greenish-black, Hornblende leaves grayish-white.
Often found alongside babingtonite
Minerals reported to co-occur with babingtonite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂Fe²⁺Fe³⁺Si₅O₁₄(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5-6
- Density
- 3.36-3.37 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Greenish-black
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Sometimes in Groups or Rosettes
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001} and {110}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins in Igneous Rocks, Often in Cavities of Basalt
- Typical price
- $20-200 depending on specimen size and crystal perfection
Where rockhounds find babingtonite
Classic worldwide localities
- Massachusetts, USA
- Baveno, Italy
- Bombay, India
- Kurama, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins in igneous rocks, often in cavities of basalt country — that is the host setting where babingtonite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, calcite, prehnite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, sometimes in groups or rosettes habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify babingtonite?+
Where is babingtonite found?+
How much is babingtonite worth?+
What rocks look like babingtonite?+
What minerals are found with babingtonite?+
What kind of rock does babingtonite form in?+
What is babingtonite used for?+
Find babingtonite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
