Ellisite is an extremely rare thallium arsenic sulfosalt found primarily in the Jas Roux deposit in France. It typically occurs as small, pale metallic grains associated with other thallium minerals and realgar in hydrothermal veins.
Is this ellisite?
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 ellisite with a known reference. Ellisite 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 brown with a tinge of orange.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: rhombohedral crystals.
Often confused with
Ellisite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ellisite leaves pale brown with a tinge of orange, Lorándite leaves cherry-red.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ellisite leaves pale brown with a tinge of orange, Hutchinsonite leaves red; luster reads metallic on Ellisite and adamantine to submetallic on Hutchinsonite.
Often found alongside ellisite
Minerals reported to co-occur with ellisite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Tl₃AsS₃
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 7.10 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale brown with a tinge of orange
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Rhombohedral crystals
- Cleavage
- Excellent to good, rhombohedral
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a hydrothermal gold deposit, in mineralized, argillaceous, carbonaceous dolostone beds
Where rockhounds find ellisite
Classic worldwide localities
- Carlin mine, 50 km northwest of Elko, Lynn district, Eureka Co., Nevada, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a hydrothermal gold deposit, in mineralized, argillaceous, carbonaceous dolostone beds. If you start seeing gold, pyrite, christite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: rhombohedral crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find ellisite on the map
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