Galkhaite is a rare mercury-sulfosalt mineral recognized by its distinct orange-red color and cubic crystal habit. It is primarily found in complex low-temperature hydrothermal deposits associated with other mercury and arsenic minerals.
Is this galkhaite?
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 galkhaite with a known reference. Galkhaite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow-orange.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: orange red, reddish, black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: aggregates.
Often confused with
Galkhaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Galkhaite leaves yellow-orange, Sphalerite leaves pale brown to pale yellow and white; luster reads vitreous to adamantine on Galkhaite and resinous to adamantine on Sphalerite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Galkhaite leaves yellow-orange, Cinnabar leaves scarlet; luster reads vitreous to adamantine on Galkhaite and adamantine, inclining to metallic when dark; dull in friable material on Cinnabar.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Galkhaite leaves yellow-orange, Tetrahedrite leaves black to brown; luster reads vitreous to adamantine on Galkhaite and metallic, commonly splendent on Tetrahedrite.
Often found alongside galkhaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with galkhaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Hg₅Cu)CsAs₄S₁₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 5.4 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow-orange
- Luster
- Vitreous to adamantine
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal Hg–Au deposits
Where rockhounds find galkhaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Getchell mine, Potosi district, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA
- Carlin mine, 50 km northwest of Elko, and the Goldstrike and Rodeo mines, Lynn district, Eureka Co., Nevada, USA
- Jerritt Canyon mine, Independence Mountains district, Elko Co., Nevada, USA
- Gal-Khaya mercury deposit, Sakha, Russia (type locality)
- Khaydarkan (type locality) and in the Chauvai Sb–Hg deposit, both in the Fergana Valley, Alai Range, Kyrgyzstan
- Hemlo gold deposit, Thunder Bay district, Ontario, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal Hg–Au deposits. If you start seeing pyrite, stibnite, cinnabar in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify galkhaite?+
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Is galkhaite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like galkhaite?+
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Find galkhaite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
