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, so Billwiseite leaves yellow, Senarmontite leaves white; luster reads resinous on Billwiseite and adamantine on Senarmontite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so 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, 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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