Hausmannite is a heavy, brittle manganese oxide often found as small, shiny black pyramidal crystals. It is typically associated with other manganese minerals in metamorphic deposits and is easily distinguished by its brownish-red streak and submetallic luster.
Is this hausmannite?
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 hausmannite with a known reference. Hausmannite sits at Mohs 5-5.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Hausmannite leaves a brownish-red streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Hausmannite typically shows a submetallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brownish-black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: pyramidal crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Hausmannite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Hausmannite leaves brownish-red, Magnetite leaves black; luster reads submetallic on Hausmannite and metallic on Magnetite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Hausmannite leaves brownish-red, Braunite leaves black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Hausmannite leaves brownish-red, Pyrolusite leaves black; luster reads submetallic on Hausmannite and metallic on Pyrolusite.
Often found alongside hausmannite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hausmannite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn²⁺Mn³⁺₂O₄
- Mohs hardness
- 5-5.5
- Density
- 4.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brownish-red
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Pyramidal Crystals, Massive, Granular
- Cleavage
- Good On {001}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Ore of Manganese
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Manganese Deposits, Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $10-60 per specimen
Where rockhounds find hausmannite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Ilmenau, Germany
- Långban, Sweden
- Postmasburg, South Africa
- Franklin, New Jersey, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed manganese deposits, hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where hausmannite typically forms. If you start seeing braunite, baryte, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a pyramidal crystals, massive, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find hausmannite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
