Edoylerite is a rare mercury chromium oxide that forms canary yellow to orangeish yellow acicular to prismatic crystals. Associated minerals include cinnabar, deanesmithite and quartz. It was first described from the Clear Creek claim, San Benito Co., California, USA.
Is this edoylerite?
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 edoylerite with a known reference. Edoylerite sits at Mohs 2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: greenish yellow, orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular, prismatic, stellate.
Often confused with
Edoylerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside edoylerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with edoylerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Hg²⁺₃(Cr⁶⁺O₄)S₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 7.11 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent to opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular, prismatic, stellate
- Cleavage
- On {010}, good; on {101}, fair
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare alteration product of cinnabar, in a mercury deposit in silicate–carbonate rock hydrothermally altered from serpentinite
Where rockhounds find edoylerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Clear Creek claim, near the Clear Creek mercury mine, New Idria district, San Benito Co., California, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare alteration product of cinnabar, in a mercury deposit in silicate–carbonate rock hydrothermally altered from serpentinite. If you start seeing cinnabar, deanesmithite, ferroan magnesite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular, prismatic, stellate. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify edoylerite?+
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What rocks look like edoylerite?+
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Find edoylerite on the map
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