Billwiseite is a very rare antimony-tin hydroxide mineral primarily discovered in the historical mining district of Lavrion, Greece. It typically forms small, vibrant yellow to brownish-yellow tabular crystals or crystalline coatings associated with other rare secondary minerals in hydrothermal deposits.
Is this billwiseite?
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 billwiseite with a known reference. Billwiseite 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. Billwiseite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Billwiseite typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brownish-yellow, orange-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crystalline aggregates.
Often confused with
Billwiseite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Billwiseite leaves yellow, Senarmontite leaves white; luster reads resinous on Billwiseite and adamantine on Senarmontite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Billwiseite leaves yellow, Valentinite leaves white; luster reads resinous on Billwiseite and adamantine on Valentinite.
Often found alongside billwiseite
Minerals reported to co-occur with billwiseite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Sb³⁺,Sn⁴⁺)₄O₃(OH)₁₀
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 4.26 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Crystalline Aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Mineralized Zones in Metamorphic Rock
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find billwiseite
Classic worldwide localities
- Lavrion District, Greece
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal mineralized zones in metamorphic rock country — that is the host setting where billwiseite typically forms. If you start seeing galena, sphalerite, annabergite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, crystalline aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find billwiseite on the map
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