Elyite is a rare secondary mineral typically found as delicate, violet-colored fibrous sprays or crusts in oxidized mine tailings. It is named for the Ely copper district in Nevada, where it was first discovered, and is highly sought after by collectors of micro-minerals.
Is this elyite?
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 elyite with a known reference. Elyite 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 violet to white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: silky.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: violet, lavender.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: granular.
Often confused with
Elyite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads silky on Elyite and vitreous to subadamantine on Linarite.
How to tell apart: Brochantite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2); luster reads silky on Elyite and vitreous, somewhat pearly on cleavages on Brochantite.
Often found alongside elyite
Minerals reported to co-occur with elyite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CuPb₄(SO₄)O₂(OH)₄·H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 6 g/cm³
- Streak
- Pale violet to white
- Luster
- Silky
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Granular
- Cleavage
- On {100}, good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Rare in the oxidized zone of base metal sulfides; may be formed in dumps and common in slags
Where rockhounds find elyite
Classic worldwide localities
- Silver King mine, Ward, White Pine Co., Nevada, USA
- Clara mine, near Oberwolfach, from the Altemann rock, at the Freiamt mine, northeast of Freiburg, and from Badenweiler, Black Forest, Germany
- Churfürst mine, Bönkhausen, Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Mizuhiki mine, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
- Tsumeb, Namibia
- Red Gill mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Rare in the oxidized zone of base metal sulfides; may be formed in dumps and common in slags. If you start seeing galena, langite, serpierite 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 elyite?+
Where is elyite found?+
Is elyite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like elyite?+
What minerals are found with elyite?+
What kind of rock does elyite form in?+
What is elyite used for?+
Find elyite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
