Belloite is a rare copper halide mineral typically found as small, yellowish green to olive-green tabular crystals in arid oxidized zones. It is primarily known from the copper mines of Chile and is highly sought after by advanced mineral collectors for its unique chemistry and rarity.
Is this belloite?
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 belloite with a known reference. Belloite sits at Mohs 1-2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellowish green.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellowish green, olive green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: encrustations.
Often confused with
Belloite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Atacamite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 1-2); streak differs, so Belloite leaves yellowish green, Atacamite leaves apple-green; luster reads vitreous on Belloite and adamantine to vitreous on Atacamite.
How to tell apart: Paratacamite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3 vs. 1-2); streak differs, so Belloite leaves yellowish green, Paratacamite leaves green.
How to tell apart: Clinoatacamite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3 vs. 1-2); streak differs, so Belloite leaves yellowish green, Clinoatacamite leaves greenish white; luster reads vitreous on Belloite and adamantine to vitreous on Clinoatacamite.
Often found alongside belloite
Minerals reported to co-occur with belloite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu(OH)Cl
- Mohs hardness
- 1-2
- Density
- 3.79 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellowish green
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Encrustations
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a desert at abandoned copper mines (Chile)
Where rockhounds find belloite
Classic worldwide localities
- La Vendida and an unnamed abandoned mine (type locality), near Sierra Gorda, Antofagasta, Atacama Desert, Chile
- Pabellón de Pica Mountain, 1.5 km south of the Chanabaya village, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile
- Fumaroles, Second scoria cone, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a desert at abandoned copper mines (Chile). If you start seeing nitratine, montmorillonite, paratacamite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: encrustations. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify belloite?+
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Find belloite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
