Buckhornite is an extremely rare lead-bismuth telluride sulfosalt typically found as microscopic grains in complex telluride deposits. It is best identified through lab analysis of telluride-gold veins where it appears as a dull, metallic gray inclusion within or alongside other telluride minerals.
Is this buckhornite?
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 buckhornite with a known reference. Buckhornite sits at Mohs 2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: splendent metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: bladed, euhedral crystals.
Often confused with
Buckhornite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Buckhornite leaves gray, Galena leaves lead-gray; luster reads splendent metallic on Buckhornite and metallic on Galena.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Buckhornite leaves gray, Tetradymite leaves pale steel-gray; luster reads splendent metallic on Buckhornite and metallic, splendent on fresh surfaces on Tetradymite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Buckhornite leaves gray, Tellurobismuthite leaves pale lead-gray; luster reads splendent metallic on Buckhornite and metallic, splendent on fresh cleavages on Tellurobismuthite.
Often found alongside buckhornite
Minerals reported to co-occur with buckhornite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Pb₂BiS₃)(AuTe₂)
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 8.43 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Gray
- Luster
- Splendent metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Bladed, euhedral crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal Au–Te-bearing deposits
Where rockhounds find buckhornite
Classic worldwide localities
- Buckhorn Pb–Ag mine, 1.6 km northwest of Jamestown, Boulder Co., Colorado (type locality), and at the Golden Sunlight mine, near Whitehall, Jefferson Co., Montana, USA
- Pepř and Bohuliby mines, Jílové gold deposit, 30 km southeast of Prague, Czech Republic
- Megradzor district, Armenia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal Au–Te-bearing deposits. If you start seeing pyrite, aikinite, tetradymite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: bladed, euhedral crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find buckhornite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
