Barysilite is a rare lead manganese silicate typically found in metamorphosed manganese deposits. It is most often identified by its characteristic pearly luster and high density, usually appearing as massive or granular material rather than well-formed crystals.
Is this barysilite?
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 barysilite with a known reference. Barysilite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: pearly on cleavage.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Barysilite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads pearly on cleavage on Barysilite and resinous to vitreous on Ganomalite.
How to tell apart: Kentrolite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 3); streak differs, so Barysilite leaves white, Kentrolite leaves yellowish brown; luster reads pearly on cleavage on Barysilite and vitreous to submetallic, greasy, dull on Kentrolite.
Often found alongside barysilite
Minerals reported to co-occur with barysilite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₈Mn(Si₂O₇)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 6.55-6.71 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly on cleavage
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- {0001}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In iron ores (Harstigen mine, Sweden); as thin films and veinlets in a metamorphosed zinc orebody (Franklin, New Jersey, USA)
Where rockhounds find barysilite
Classic worldwide localities
- Franklin, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
- Harstigen mine, near Persberg, and Långban and Jakobsberg, Värmland, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In iron ores (Harstigen mine, Sweden); as thin films and veinlets in a metamorphosed zinc orebody (Franklin, New Jersey, USA). If you start seeing garnet, willemite, axinite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify barysilite?+
Where is barysilite found?+
Is barysilite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like barysilite?+
What minerals are found with barysilite?+
What kind of rock does barysilite form in?+
What is barysilite used for?+
Find barysilite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
