Bilibinskite is a very rare gold-copper-lead telluride found primarily in epithermal gold deposits. It typically occurs as microscopic anhedral grains or inclusions within other minerals and is highly prized by collectors of rare telluride species.
Is this bilibinskite?
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 bilibinskite with a known reference. Bilibinskite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: gold-brown to brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: semimetallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bronze brown, light brown, pink brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Bilibinskite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Bilibinskite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5 vs. 2.5-3); streak differs, so Bilibinskite leaves gold-brown to brown, Gold leaves yellow; luster reads semimetallic on Bilibinskite and metallic on Gold.
How to tell apart: Bilibinskite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5 vs. 2.5-3); streak differs, so Bilibinskite leaves gold-brown to brown, Calaverite leaves greenish to yellowish gray; luster reads semimetallic on Bilibinskite and metallic on Calaverite.
How to tell apart: Bilibinskite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5 vs. 2.5-3); streak differs, so Bilibinskite leaves gold-brown to brown, Petzite leaves grayish black; luster reads semimetallic on Bilibinskite and metallic on Petzite.
Often found alongside bilibinskite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bilibinskite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Au₃Cu₂PbTe₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 12.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- Gold-brown to brown
- Luster
- Semimetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In the zone of weathering of tellurium deposits
Where rockhounds find bilibinskite
Classic worldwide localities
- Aginsk gold telluride deposit, Kamchatka, Far Eastern Region, Russia (type locality)
- Southern Dzhelambet deposit, central Kazakhstan (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In the zone of weathering of tellurium deposits. If you start seeing gold, bogdanovite, bezsmertnovite 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 bilibinskite?+
Where is bilibinskite found?+
Is bilibinskite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like bilibinskite?+
What minerals are found with bilibinskite?+
What kind of rock does bilibinskite form in?+
What is bilibinskite used for?+
Find bilibinskite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
