Heinrichite is a rare barium-bearing uranyl arsenate mineral characterized by its bright, lemon-yellow color and intense yellow-green fluorescence under ultraviolet light. It typically occurs as thin, brittle tabular crystals often found coating fractures in uranium-rich hydrothermal deposits.
Is this heinrichite?
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 heinrichite with a known reference. Heinrichite sits at Mohs 2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Heinrichite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Heinrichite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, lemon yellow, bright yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals, micaceous.
Often confused with
Heinrichite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Heinrichite leaves yellow, Autunite leaves pale yellow; luster reads vitreous on Heinrichite and pearly on Autunite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Heinrichite and pearly on Meta-autunite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Heinrichite leaves yellow, Torbernite leaves pale green.
Often found alongside heinrichite
Minerals reported to co-occur with heinrichite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ba(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·10-12H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 3.32 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Micaceous
- Cleavage
- Perfect Basal
- Fluorescence
- Bright Yellow-green Under UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins in Granitic Rocks
- Typical price
- $50-300 per thumbnail specimen
Where rockhounds find heinrichite
Classic worldwide localities
- Schwarzwald, Germany
- Utah, USA
- Saxony, Germany
- Nevada, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins in granitic rocks country — that is the host setting where heinrichite typically forms. If you start seeing uraninite, meta-zeunerite, barite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, micaceous habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find heinrichite on the map
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