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, so Hausmannite leaves brownish-red, Magnetite leaves black; luster reads submetallic on Hausmannite and metallic on Magnetite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Hausmannite leaves brownish-red, Braunite leaves black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so 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, 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.
