Breithauptite is a rare nickel antimonide characterized by its distinct, intense copper-red color that often tarnishes to a darker shade. It is primarily found in hydrothermal veins associated with nickel and silver deposits, typically occurring as massive aggregates or thin, brittle tabular crystals.
Is this breithauptite?
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 breithauptite with a known reference. Breithauptite sits at Mohs 5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: reddish brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: copper red, light brown red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: massive, reniform, tabular.
Often confused with
Breithauptite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Breithauptite leaves reddish brown, Nickeline leaves pale brownish black.
How to tell apart: Breithauptite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 3.5-4.5); streak differs, so Breithauptite leaves reddish brown, Pyrrhotite leaves dark grayish black.
Often found alongside breithauptite
Minerals reported to co-occur with breithauptite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NiSb
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 7.591-8.23 g/cm³
- Colors
- Copper redLight brown red
- Streak
- Reddish brown
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, reniform, tabular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Ore of nickel
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal calcite veins associated with Co–Ni–Ag ores
Where rockhounds find breithauptite
Classic worldwide localities
- Coyote Peak, near Orick, Humboldt Co., California, USA
- Ar, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and Pierrefitte, Hautes-Pyrénées, France
- Monte Narba, Sarrabus, Sardinia, Italy
- Tunaberg, Saxberget, and Långsjön, Sweden
- Sulitjelma, Norway
- Ilímaussaq intrusion, southern Greenland
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal calcite veins associated with Co–Ni–Ag ores. If you start seeing silver, nickeline, maucherite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, reniform, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find breithauptite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
