Brookite is a distinct titanium dioxide polymorph known for its unique orthorhombic crystal structures, often appearing as flattened, brownish-black tabular crystals. It is most prized by collectors for its occurrence in alpine-type clefts and hydrothermal settings where it forms alongside its polymorphs, rutile and anatase. Collectors should look for sharp, blade-like crystals in pockets of igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Is this brookite?
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 brookite with a known reference. Brookite sits at Mohs 5.5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Brookite leaves a white to yellowish-white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Brookite typically shows a submetallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: reddish-brown, brown, black, yellowish-brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular, platy, or elongated crystals.
Often confused with
Brookite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Brookite leaves white to yellowish-white, Rutile leaves pale brown to yellow; luster reads submetallic on Brookite and metallic to adamantine on Rutile.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Brookite leaves white to yellowish-white, Anatase leaves white to pale yellow; luster reads submetallic on Brookite and adamantine on Anatase.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Brookite leaves white to yellowish-white, Manaccanite leaves black.
Often found alongside brookite
Minerals reported to co-occur with brookite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- TiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5-6
- Density
- 4.08-4.18 g/cm³
- Streak
- White to Yellowish-white
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular, Platy, Or Elongated Crystals
- Cleavage
- Indistinct
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Study
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Alpine-type Fissures, And Igneous Rocks
- Typical price
- $15-150 per specimen
Where rockhounds find brookite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Magnet Cove, Arkansas, USA
- Alpe Devero, Italy
- Hardangervidda, Norway
- Karkonosze Mountains, Poland
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, alpine-type fissures, and igneous rocks country — that is the host setting where brookite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, anatase, rutile in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular, platy, or elongated crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Arkansas — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find brookite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
