Edscottite is a rare iron carbide mineral found exclusively within iron meteorites. It typically occurs as microscopic, granular inclusions alongside other iron-nickel phases like kamacite and schreibersite.
Is this edscottite?
3-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 edscottite with a known reference. Edscottite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, gray.
- 3Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: granular.
Often confused with
Edscottite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside edscottite
Minerals reported to co-occur with edscottite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₅C₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 7.62 g/cm³
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Granular
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- In a Ni-rich ataxite iron meteorite belonging to subgroup sLH of the IAB complex (Low-Au, High-Ni subgroup)
Where rockhounds find edscottite
Classic worldwide localities
- Wedderburn meteorite (Australia)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a Ni-rich ataxite iron meteorite belonging to subgroup sLH of the IAB complex (Low-Au, High-Ni subgroup). If you start seeing low-ni iron, taenite, nickelphosphide in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify edscottite?+
Where is edscottite found?+
What rocks look like edscottite?+
What minerals are found with edscottite?+
What kind of rock does edscottite form in?+
What is edscottite used for?+
Find edscottite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
