Diaphorite is a rare lead-silver sulfosalt that typically occurs as slender, vertically striated prismatic crystals. It is primarily found in complex hydrothermal ore deposits, often associated with galena and other silver-bearing minerals. Collectors prize it for its brilliant metallic luster, though specimens are often delicate and difficult to obtain in pristine condition.
Is this diaphorite?
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 diaphorite with a known reference. Diaphorite sits at Mohs 2.5-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: steel gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray, steel gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: euhedral crystals, granular, striated.
Often confused with
Diaphorite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Diaphorite leaves steel gray, Jamesonite leaves black. grayish.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Diaphorite leaves steel gray, Boulangerite leaves brownish.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Diaphorite leaves steel gray, Freieslebenite leaves pale steel-gray to silver-white or lead-gray.
Often found alongside diaphorite
Minerals reported to co-occur with diaphorite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₂Ag₃Sb₃S₈
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 6.04 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Steel gray
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Euhedral crystals, granular, striated
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Reference mineral
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal veins with other sulfides formed at medium temperatures
Where rockhounds find diaphorite
Classic worldwide localities
- Lake Chelan district, Chelan Co., Washington, USA
- Wood River deposits, Mineral Hill district, Blaine Co., Idaho, USA
- Morey, Nye Co., Nevada, USA
- Saxony, at Bräunsdorf, near Freiberg (type locality), in the Neues Hoffnung Gottes mine, Germany
- Freiberg, Germany
- Fournial, Cantal, and Pontgibaud, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal veins with other sulfides formed at medium temperatures. If you start seeing galena, sphalerite, miargyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: euhedral crystals, granular, striated. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify diaphorite?+
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Is diaphorite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like diaphorite?+
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Find diaphorite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
