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. Barysilite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Barysilite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, yellowish, brownish.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, or compact aggregates.
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 Barysilite and vitreous on Ganomalite.
How to tell apart: Kentrolite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 3); streak differs — Barysilite leaves white, Kentrolite leaves yellowish-brown; luster reads pearly on Barysilite and resinous 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
- 6.3-6.6 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Or Compact Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Distinct On {0001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Manganese-iron Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen depending on quality and locality
Where rockhounds find barysilite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Sweden
- Harstigen, Sweden
- Franklin, New Jersey, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed manganese-iron ore deposits country — that is the host setting where barysilite typically forms. If you start seeing hausmannite, tephroite, jacobsite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, or compact aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify barysilite?+
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How much is barysilite worth?+
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Find barysilite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
