Chovanite is a rare lead-copper-antimony sulfosalt known primarily from its type locality in Bulgaria. Collectors look for its metallic gray, needle-like or bladed crystals often associated with other base-metal sulfides in hydrothermal environments.
Is this chovanite?
4-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 chovanite with a known reference. Chovanite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 3Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray.
- 4Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular to prismatic crystals, often as fibrous aggregates.
Often confused with
Chovanite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside chovanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with chovanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₁₄.₆Sb₁₄.₄S₃₆O₀.₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 7.14 g/cm³
- Colors
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular to prismatic crystals, often as fibrous aggregates
- Cleavage
- Good parallel [001]
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal vein and stockwork antimony deposits cutting granites, mica schists or silicified mylonitized granitoids
Where rockhounds find chovanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Dúbrava (the type deposit), Malé Železné, and Klačianka antimony deposits on the northern slopes of The Low Tatra Mountains (Nízke Tatry), Slovakia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal vein and stockwork antimony deposits cutting granites, mica schists or silicified mylonitized granitoids. If you start seeing boulangerite, robinsonite, dadsonite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular to prismatic crystals, often as fibrous aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find chovanite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
