Faustite is the zinc-dominant analogue of turquoise, typically appearing in vibrant apple-green to yellow-green shades. Collectors usually find it as massive, earthy, or nodular crusts formed in the oxidation zones of mineral deposits. It is a prized rarity among collectors for its distinctive color compared to typical sky-blue turquoise.
Is this faustite?
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 faustite with a known reference. Faustite sits at Mohs 5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white to pale yellow-green.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: waxy to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: apple green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: massive, nodular, nuggets.
Often confused with
Faustite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads waxy to dull on Faustite and vitreous in crystals; dull to waxy if massive on Turquoise.
How to tell apart: Faustite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 4.5); luster reads waxy to dull on Faustite and vitreous to waxy on Variscite.
How to tell apart: Faustite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. ~2-4); luster reads waxy to dull on Faustite and vitreous, porcelaneous, earthy on Chrysocolla.
Often found alongside faustite
Minerals reported to co-occur with faustite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- ZnAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 2.92 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White to pale yellow-green
- Luster
- Waxy to dull
- Transparency
- Opaque, translucent on thin edges
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, nodular, nuggets
- Cleavage
- Indistinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- In argillized shales associated with copper mineralization (Copper King mine, Nevada, USA)
Where rockhounds find faustite
Classic worldwide localities
- Copper King mine, about 16 km northwest of Carlin, Maggie Creek district, Eureka Co., and the Rain mine, Carlin district, Elko Co., Nevada, USA
- Bingham mine, Salt Lake Co., Utah, USA
- Iron Monarch quarry, Iron Knob, South Australia
- Phoenix United mines, Linkinhorne, Cornwall, England
- Virneberg mine, near Rheinbreitbach, Rhineland-Palatinate, and at Rengersdorf, Lausitz, Saxony, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In argillized shales associated with copper mineralization (Copper King mine, Nevada, USA). If you start seeing montmorillonite, apatite, chrysocolla in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive, nodular, nuggets. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find faustite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
