Braunite is a manganese silicate mineral often occurring in metamorphosed manganese deposits. Collectors look for its characteristic submetallic luster and sharp, tetragonal pyramidal crystals, though it is more frequently found in massive or granular forms.
Is this braunite?
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 braunite with a known reference. Braunite sits at Mohs 6-6.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brownish black to steel-gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: submetallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark, brownish black, steel-gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: pyramidal crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Braunite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Braunite leaves brownish black to steel-gray, Hausmannite leaves dark reddish brown.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Braunite leaves brownish black to steel-gray, Pyrolusite leaves black, bluish black; luster reads submetallic on Braunite and metallic on Pyrolusite.
Often found alongside braunite
Minerals reported to co-occur with braunite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn²⁺Mn³⁺₆SiO₁₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6-6.5
- Density
- 4.72-4.83 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brownish black to steel-gray
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Pyramidal crystals, massive, granular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {112}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Ore of manganese, Collector
- Host rock
- Formed by metamorphism of manganese silicates and oxides; also a product of weathering
Where rockhounds find braunite
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Spiller manganese mines, 25 km northeast of Mason, Mason Co., Texas, USA
- Batesville district, Independence Co., Arkansas, USA
- Cartersville, Bartow Co., Georgia, USA
- Snowmass, Pitkin Co., Colorado, USA
- Långban, and Jakobsberg, Värmland, Sweden
- Botnedalen, Norway
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Formed by metamorphism of manganese silicates and oxides; also a product of weathering. If you start seeing pyrolusite, jacobsite, hausmannite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: pyramidal crystals, massive, granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New Jersey, Wisconsin. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find braunite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
