Carducciite is a rare silver-antimony-lead sulfosalt primarily known from the Pollone mine in Tuscany. It typically appears as metallic, black massive intergrowths within hydrothermal vein systems and is difficult to distinguish from other associated lead-sulfosalts without geochemical analysis.
Is this carducciite?
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 carducciite with a known reference. Carducciite 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. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, anhedral grains.
Often confused with
Carducciite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Carducciite leaves black, Galena leaves lead-gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Carducciite leaves black, Stibnite leaves lead-gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Carducciite leaves black, Boulangerite leaves brownish.
Often found alongside carducciite
Minerals reported to co-occur with carducciite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (AgSb)Pb₆(As,Sb)₈S₂₀
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 5.56 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, anhedral grains
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a barite-pyrite-(Pb-Ag-Zn) vein deposit in a metavolcanic-metasedimentary sequence metamorphosed to greenschist facies
Where rockhounds find carducciite
Classic worldwide localities
- Pollone mine, near Valdicastello Carducci, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a barite-pyrite-(Pb-Ag-Zn) vein deposit in a metavolcanic-metasedimentary sequence metamorphosed to greenschist facies. If you start seeing barite, pyrite, sterryite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, anhedral grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify carducciite?+
Where is carducciite found?+
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What rocks look like carducciite?+
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Find carducciite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
