Hollandite is a manganese-barium oxide often found as striking metallic black prismatic crystals or radiating, needle-like sprays. It is most commonly found in oxidized manganese deposits and is often associated with other manganese oxides, requiring chemical testing for definitive identification.
Is this hollandite?
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 hollandite with a known reference. Hollandite sits at Mohs 6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic, splendent.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, grayish black, silver gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic, striated.
Often confused with
Hollandite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Hollandite leaves black, Psilomelane leaves brownish black; luster reads metallic, splendent on Hollandite and submetallic on Psilomelane.
How to tell apart: Hollandite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6 vs. 4); streak differs, so Hollandite leaves black, Manganite leaves reddish brown to nearly black; luster reads metallic, splendent on Hollandite and submetallic on Manganite.
Often found alongside hollandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hollandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ba(Mn⁴⁺₆Mn³⁺₂)O₁₆
- Mohs hardness
- 6
- Density
- 4.95 g/cm³
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic, splendent
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, striated
- Cleavage
- Prismatic, distinct
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Ore of manganese
- Host rock
- A primary mineral in contact metamorphic manganese ores, and a secondary weathering product of earlier manganese-bearing minerals
Where rockhounds find hollandite
Classic worldwide localities
- Artillery Mountains, Mohave Co., and in the Apache mine, Sierra Ancha district, Gila Co., Arizona, USA
- Kajlidongri and Sitapar, Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Nagpur and Balaghat districts, Maharashtra, India
- Banswara, Rajasthan, India
- Sorharras, Ultevis, Sweden
- Tangen, Hurdal, Norway
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A primary mineral in contact metamorphic manganese ores, and a secondary weathering product of earlier manganese-bearing minerals. If you start seeing bixbyite, braunite, piemontite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic, striated. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify hollandite?+
Where is hollandite found?+
What rocks look like hollandite?+
What minerals are found with hollandite?+
What kind of rock does hollandite form in?+
What is hollandite used for?+
Find hollandite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
