Blakeite is a rare iron tellurite mineral that typically forms as small, tabular, reddish-brown crystals within oxidized zones of gold deposits. It is most commonly found in association with other tellurium minerals like emmonsite, making it a sought-after prize for micromounters and advanced collectors specializing in tellurates and tellurites.
Is this blakeite?
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 blakeite with a known reference. Blakeite sits at Mohs 3-4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Blakeite leaves a yellowish brown streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Blakeite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: reddish brown, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Blakeite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Emmonsite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 3-4); streak differs — Blakeite leaves yellowish brown, Emmonsite leaves pale yellow; luster reads adamantine on Blakeite and vitreous on Emmonsite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Blakeite leaves yellowish brown, Rodalquilarite leaves pale yellow.
Often found alongside blakeite
Minerals reported to co-occur with blakeite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₂³⁺(TeO₃)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3-4
- Density
- 5.68 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellowish Brown
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals
- Cleavage
- Distinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Tellurium-bearing Hydrothermal Gold Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on specimen size and quality
Where rockhounds find blakeite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tombstone, Arizona (USA)
- Moctezuma, Sonora (Mexico)
- Goldfield, Nevada (USA)
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized tellurium-bearing hydrothermal gold deposits country — that is the host setting where blakeite typically forms. If you start seeing emmonsite, quartz, tellurite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find blakeite on the map
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