Calaverite is a rare gold telluride that typically occurs in low-temperature hydrothermal veins. It is distinguished by its yellowish-green streak and heavy weight, often forming complex, striated prismatic crystals that can be difficult to distinguish from krennerite without X-ray diffraction.
Is this calaverite?
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 calaverite with a known reference. Calaverite sits at Mohs 2.5-3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Calaverite leaves a yellowish-green streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Calaverite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brass-yellow, silver-white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: striated prismatic crystals, bladed, or granular.
Often confused with
Calaverite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Pyrite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 2.5-3); streak differs — Calaverite leaves yellowish-green, Pyrite leaves greenish-black to brownish-black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Calaverite leaves yellowish-green, Sylvanite leaves gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Calaverite leaves yellowish-green, Krennerite leaves yellowish-grey.
Often found alongside calaverite
Minerals reported to co-occur with calaverite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- AuTe₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 9.0-9.4 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellowish-green
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Striated Prismatic Crystals, Bladed, Or Granular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Gold-telluride Veins
- Typical price
- $50-500 thumbnail
Where rockhounds find calaverite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Cripple Creek, Colorado, USA
- Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
- Sacaramb, Romania
- Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal gold-telluride veins country — that is the host setting where calaverite typically forms. If you start seeing sylvanite, petzite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a striated prismatic crystals, bladed, or granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Wisconsin — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find calaverite on the map
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