Berryite is a rare lead-silver-copper bismuth sulfosalt typically found as inclusions in other sulfides. It is usually identified through microscopic study or X-ray diffraction, as its physical appearance is very similar to other complex lead-bismuth minerals.
Is this berryite?
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 berryite with a known reference. Berryite sits at Mohs 3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue gray, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, anhedral grains, or acicular to lath-like crystals.
Often confused with
Berryite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Berryite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs, so Berryite leaves black, Aikinite leaves grayish black.
How to tell apart: Berryite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2.5-2.75); streak differs, so Berryite leaves black, Galena leaves lead-gray.
How to tell apart: Berryite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs, so Berryite leaves black, Bismuthinite leaves lead-gray.
Often found alongside berryite
Minerals reported to co-occur with berryite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₃Ag₂Cu₃Bi₇S₁₆
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 6.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, anhedral grains, or acicular to lath-like crystals
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In quartz veins with sulfides and sulfosalts in siderite-rich cryolite (Ivigtut)
Where rockhounds find berryite
Classic worldwide localities
- Colorado, from the Missouri mine, Park Co. (type locality), the Mike mine, Silverton district, San Juan Co., and Cinnamon Gulch, Northeast Montezuma district, Clear Creek Co., USA
- Outlaw mine, Round Mountain, Manhattan, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
- Owen Lake, south of Houston, British Columbia, Canada
- Ivigtut cryolite deposit, southwestern Greenland
- Nordmark, Värmland, Sweden
- Catarama mine, Baia Borşa district, Baia Mare (Nagybánya), Romania
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In quartz veins with sulfides and sulfosalts in siderite-rich cryolite (Ivigtut). If you start seeing emplectite, aikinite, cuprobismutite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, anhedral grains, or acicular to lath-like crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify berryite?+
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Find berryite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
