Ferrovorontsovite is an extremely rare thallium-bearing sulfosalt discovered in the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit. It typically occurs as microscopic anhedral grains associated with other sulfide minerals in hydrothermal gold-bearing ores.
Is this ferrovorontsovite?
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 ferrovorontsovite with a known reference. Ferrovorontsovite sits at Mohs ~3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: anhedral to subhedral grains.
Often confused with
Ferrovorontsovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ferrovorontsovite leaves black, Stannite leaves blackish.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ferrovorontsovite leaves black, Germanite leaves dark gray to black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ferrovorontsovite leaves black, Enargite leaves grayish black.
Often found alongside ferrovorontsovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with ferrovorontsovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Fe₅Cu)TlAs₄S₁₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~3.5
- Density
- 4.744 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral to subhedral grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In mineralized limestone breccias (calcite-dolomite, up to 85% of volume) in the ores of the sulfide-carbonate type in a gold deposit of uncertain origin
Where rockhounds find ferrovorontsovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, 0.5 km west of Vorontsovka, 13 km south of Krasnotur’insk, Sverdlovskaya Oblast’, Northern Urals, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In mineralized limestone breccias (calcite-dolomite, up to 85% of volume) in the ores of the sulfide-carbonate type in a gold deposit of uncertain origin. If you start seeing cinnabar, realgar, stibnite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: anhedral to subhedral grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find ferrovorontsovite on the map
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