Daliranite is a rare lead-mercury-arsenic sulfosalt primarily discovered in the Zarigan mine of Iran. It typically appears as distinct, bright red, bladed or needle-like crystal aggregates within hydrothermal ore deposits. Due to its extreme rarity and toxic composition, it is strictly a specimen for advanced mineral collectors.
Is this daliranite?
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 daliranite with a known reference. Daliranite sits at Mohs <2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale orange-red.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: vibrant orange-red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: bladed, radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Daliranite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Daliranite leaves pale orange-red, Realgar leaves red-orange to red; luster reads adamantine on Daliranite and resinous to greasy on Realgar.
How to tell apart: Luster reads adamantine on Daliranite and resinous, pearly on cleavage surface on Orpiment.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Daliranite leaves pale orange-red, Cinnabar leaves scarlet.
Often found alongside daliranite
Minerals reported to co-occur with daliranite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbHgAs₂S₅
- Mohs hardness
- <2
- Density
- 5.93 g/cm³
- Colors
- Vibrant orange-red
- Streak
- Pale orange-red
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Bladed, radiating aggregates
- Cleavage
- None discernable
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A late-stage hydrothermal mineral formed by reaction with orpiment in a Carlin-type, sediment-hosted disseminated Au-As deposit
Where rockhounds find daliranite
Classic worldwide localities
- Zarshouran Au-As deposit, 42 km north of the town of Takab, West Azarbaijan Province, northwest Iran
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A late-stage hydrothermal mineral formed by reaction with orpiment in a Carlin-type, sediment-hosted disseminated Au-As deposit. If you start seeing orpiment, quartz, rarely with galkhaite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: bladed, radiating aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify daliranite?+
Where is daliranite found?+
Is daliranite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like daliranite?+
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Find daliranite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
