Carpathite is a rare polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mineral that forms delicate, needle-like yellow crystals. It is highly prized by collectors for its intense, electric-blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Is this carpathite?
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 carpathite with a known reference. Carpathite sits at Mohs ~1, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellowish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellowish brown on exposure.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular crystals, fibrous, thin blades.
Often confused with
Carpathite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Carpathite leaves yellowish white, Sulfur leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Carpathite and resinous on Sulfur.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Carpathite leaves yellowish white, Orpiment leaves pale lemon-yellow; luster reads vitreous on Carpathite and resinous, pearly on cleavage surface on Orpiment.
Often found alongside carpathite
Minerals reported to co-occur with carpathite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- C₂₄H₁₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~1
- Density
- 1.35-1.40 g/cm³
- Colors
- YellowYellowish brown on exposure
- Streak
- Yellowish white
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Subtranslucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular crystals, fibrous, thin blades
- Cleavage
- On {001}, {100}, {201}, perfect
- Fluorescence
- Bright blue under UV light
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In cavities at the contact of diorite porphyry with argillites (Olenevo, Ukraine); a low-temperature hydrothermal mineral (California, USA)
Where rockhounds find carpathite
Classic worldwide localities
- Picacho mercury mine, south of New Idria, San Benito Co., California, USA
- Olenevo, Transcarpathian region, western Ukraine
- Tamvotney, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In cavities at the contact of diorite porphyry with argillites (Olenevo, Ukraine); a low-temperature hydrothermal mineral (California, USA). If you start seeing idrialite, amorphous organic material, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular crystals, fibrous, thin blades. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
More carpathite photos
Common questions
How do you identify carpathite?+
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Find carpathite on the map
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