Bodieite is an extremely rare tellurium chloride mineral first described from the Bodie mining district in California. It typically occurs as small, pale yellow platy crystals or thin crusts in oxidized zones associated with other rare tellurates and tellurites.
Is this bodieite?
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 bodieite with a known reference. Bodieite 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. Bodieite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Bodieite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brownish-yellow, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: platy crystals, crusts.
Often confused with
Bodieite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Bodieite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3 vs. 2).
How to tell apart: Emmonsite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 3); streak differs — Bodieite leaves white, Emmonsite leaves pale yellow; luster reads adamantine on Bodieite and vitreous on Emmonsite.
Often found alongside bodieite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bodieite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Te₆O₁₁Cl₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 5.68 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Hydrothermal Gold-tellurium Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen depending on size and crystal quality
Where rockhounds find bodieite
Classic worldwide localities
- Bodie mining district, California, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized hydrothermal gold-tellurium veins country — that is the host setting where bodieite typically forms. If you start seeing tellurite, emmonsite, quetzalcoatlite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find bodieite on the map
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