Carletonmooreite is a rare nickel silicide mineral known primarily from iron meteorites, specifically those rich in nickel. It typically occurs as minute grains intergrown with other iron-nickel phases like kamacite and taenite, making it difficult for amateur collectors to identify without professional geochemical analysis.

Hardness

Mohs

Luster

Metallic

Transparency

Opaque

mineralrare

Carletonmooreite

Hardness: 3
Luster: Metallic
Transparency: Opaque

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Is this carletonmooreite?

4-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch carletonmooreite with a known reference. Carletonmooreite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
3
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: white, silvery-white.
4
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: cubic. Typical habit: microscopic grains.

Often confused with

Carletonmooreite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Kamacite

Mohs 4

How to tell apart: Kamacite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4 vs. 3).

How to tell apart: Taenite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 3).

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Often found alongside carletonmooreite

Minerals reported to co-occur with carletonmooreite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: Ni₃Si
Mohs hardness: 3
Density: 7.89 g/cm³
Colors: White Silvery-white
Luster: Metallic
Transparency: Opaque
Crystal system: Cubic
Crystal habit: Microscopic grains
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Collector
Host rock: Localized on plessite fields in aubrite metal nodules in a meteorite, probably formed by low-temperature epitaxial growth by solid-state diffusion from kamacite on tetrataenite

Where rockhounds find carletonmooreite

Classic worldwide localities

Santa Catharina meteorite
Brazil

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: Localized on plessite fields in aubrite metal nodules in a meteorite, probably formed by low-temperature epitaxial growth by solid-state diffusion from kamacite on tetrataenite. If you start seeing low-ni iron, schreibersite, nickelphosphide in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: microscopic grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify carletonmooreite?+

Mohs hardness is 3. Luster: metallic. Common colors include white, silvery-white.

Where is carletonmooreite found?+

Notable localities include Santa Catharina meteorite; Brazil.

Is carletonmooreite safe to handle?+

Carletonmooreite contains nickel. Wash your hands afterwards, never grind or breathe the dust, and store it apart from specimens you handle often.

What rocks look like carletonmooreite?+

Carletonmooreite is most often confused with Kamacite, Taenite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with carletonmooreite?+

Carletonmooreite commonly co-occurs with Low-Ni iron, Schreibersite, Nickelphosphide, Perryite, Aubréelite, Tetrataenite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does carletonmooreite form in?+

Where it forms: Localized on plessite fields in aubrite metal nodules in a meteorite, probably formed by low-temperature epitaxial growth by solid-state diffusion from kamacite on tetrataenite. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is carletonmooreite used for?+

Carletonmooreite is used in collector.

Find carletonmooreite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.