Hellyerite is a rare nickel carbonate mineral that typically forms as pale blue crusts or small aggregates on serpentinite. It is primarily known from the type locality in the Lord Brassey mine in Tasmania, where it is found associated with other nickel-bearing minerals. Because it is highly sensitive to humidity and can dehydrate, specimens should be stored in controlled conditions to prevent degradation.
Is this hellyerite?
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 hellyerite with a known reference. Hellyerite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: light blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: encrustations.
Often confused with
Hellyerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside hellyerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hellyerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NiCO₃·6H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 1.97 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Encrustations
- Cleavage
- One perfect direction; two directions, less perfect, at 112° to one another and both approximately perpendicular to the first
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Very rare, as coatings on shear surfaces in serpentinite
Where rockhounds find hellyerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Lord Brassey mine, near Heazlewood, Tasmania, Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Very rare, as coatings on shear surfaces in serpentinite. If you start seeing zaratite, theophrastite, otwayite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: encrustations. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify hellyerite?+
Where is hellyerite found?+
Is hellyerite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like hellyerite?+
What minerals are found with hellyerite?+
What kind of rock does hellyerite form in?+
What is hellyerite used for?+
Find hellyerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
