Fritzscheite is a rare secondary uranium mineral often found as reddish-orange platy crystals or crusts. Due to its radioactive nature and scarcity, it is sought after primarily by advanced mineral collectors who specialize in uranium species.
Is this fritzscheite?
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 fritzscheite with a known reference. Fritzscheite sits at Mohs 2-2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Fritzscheite leaves a yellowish-orange streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Fritzscheite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: reddish-brown, orange-red, yellow-orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: platy crystals, micaceous aggregates.
Often confused with
Fritzscheite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Fritzscheite leaves yellowish-orange, Autunite leaves pale yellow.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Fritzscheite leaves yellowish-orange, Torbernite leaves pale green; luster reads pearly on Fritzscheite and vitreous on Torbernite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Fritzscheite leaves yellowish-orange, Meta-autunite leaves yellow.
Often found alongside fritzscheite
Minerals reported to co-occur with fritzscheite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn(UO₂)₂(PO₄,VO₄)₂·8H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-2.5
- Density
- 3.5-3.6 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellowish-orange
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Micaceous Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect Basal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Uranium-bearing Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find fritzscheite
Classic worldwide localities
- Sprea, Czech Republic
- Johanngeorgenstadt, Germany
- Nevada, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of uranium-bearing hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where fritzscheite typically forms. If you start seeing autunite, uraninite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, micaceous aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find fritzscheite on the map
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