Clerite is a rare manganese antimony sulfosalt that forms black irregular equant grains. It occurs in a hydrothermal gold deposit in limestone. It was first described from Vorontsovskoye gold deposit, Serov district, Northern Ural Mountains, Russia.
Is this clerite?
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 clerite with a known reference. Clerite sits at Mohs 3.5-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: submetallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: aggregates, anhedral grains.
Often confused with
Clerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Clerite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 1.5-2); streak differs, so Clerite leaves brown, Sylvanite leaves steel-gray to silver-white; luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic, brilliant on Sylvanite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Clerite leaves brown, Petzite leaves grayish black; luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic on Petzite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Clerite leaves brown, Hessite leaves light gray; luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic on Hessite.
Often found alongside clerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with clerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnSb₂S₄
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 4.48 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brown
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, anhedral grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- In a hydrothermal gold deposit in limestone
Where rockhounds find clerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Vorontsovskoye gold deposit, Serov district, Northern Ural Mountains, Russia (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a hydrothermal gold deposit in limestone. If you start seeing realgar, pyrite, alabandite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, anhedral grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find clerite on the map
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