Hubeite is a rare manganese-bearing silicate typically found as small, brownish-red tabular crystals often forming thin crusts or sprays on quartz. It is uniquely associated with the Daye mining district in China and is highly prized by collectors for its attractive color and distinct crystal habit.
Is this hubeite?
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 hubeite with a known reference. Hubeite sits at Mohs 5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale orange-brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark brown, light brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: aggregates, radial, rosette.
Often confused with
Hubeite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Hubeite leaves pale orange-brown, Apophyllite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Hubeite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 3-4); streak differs, so Hubeite leaves pale orange-brown, Cavansite leaves bluish white.
Often found alongside hubeite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hubeite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂MnFeSi₄O₁₂(OH)·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 3.02 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale orange-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, radial, rosette
- Cleavage
- Good on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a skarn assemblage
Where rockhounds find hubeite
Classic worldwide localities
- Daye Fe-Cu-Au mines, near Huangshi, Hubei province, China (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a skarn assemblage. If you start seeing inesite, natroapophyllite-fluorapophyllite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, radial, rosette. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify hubeite?+
Where is hubeite found?+
What rocks look like hubeite?+
What minerals are found with hubeite?+
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What is hubeite used for?+
Find hubeite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
