Cianciulliite is a rare manganese zinc hydroxide mineral primarily found in the Långban mining district of Sweden. It typically occurs as small, delicate, colorless to pale yellow tabular crystals formed in the cavities of metamorphosed manganese ores. Because of its rarity and fragile nature, it is highly sought after by advanced mineral collectors specializing in Swedish minerals.
Is this cianciulliite?
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 cianciulliite with a known reference. Cianciulliite sits at Mohs 3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cianciulliite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cianciulliite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals, clusters.
Often confused with
Cianciulliite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Cianciulliite and pearly on Pyrochroite.
How to tell apart: Hausmannite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 3); streak differs — Cianciulliite leaves white, Hausmannite leaves brownish-red; luster reads vitreous on Cianciulliite and submetallic on Hausmannite.
Often found alongside cianciulliite
Minerals reported to co-occur with cianciulliite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn²⁺₇Zn₂(OH)₁₈·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 2.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Clusters
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Manganese Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300+ depending on crystal size and matrix association
Where rockhounds find cianciulliite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed manganese ore deposits country — that is the host setting where cianciulliite typically forms. If you start seeing hausmannite, calcite, barite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, clusters habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify cianciulliite?+
Where is cianciulliite found?+
How much is cianciulliite worth?+
What rocks look like cianciulliite?+
What minerals are found with cianciulliite?+
What kind of rock does cianciulliite form in?+
What is cianciulliite used for?+
Find cianciulliite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
