Ingersonite is a rare calcium-antimony mineral primarily found in the metamorphosed iron-manganese ore deposits of Langban, Sweden. It typically presents as small, tabular, brownish yellow crystals that are often difficult to distinguish from associated carbonate minerals without chemical testing.
Is this ingersonite?
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 ingersonite with a known reference. Ingersonite sits at Mohs 6.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brownish yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brownish yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: subhedral crystals.
Often confused with
Ingersonite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Ingersonite is noticeably harder (Mohs 6.5 vs. 3); streak differs, so Ingersonite leaves brownish yellow, Calcite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Ingersonite leaves brownish yellow, Stibiconite leaves light yellow; luster reads vitreous on Ingersonite and pearly, opaline, glassy to earthy on Stibiconite.
Often found alongside ingersonite
Minerals reported to co-occur with ingersonite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₃MnSb₄O₁₄
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5
- Density
- 5.42 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brownish yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Subhedral crystals
- Cleavage
- {0001}, perfect; imperfect rhombohedral cleavage
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In dump material from a metamorphosed Fe-Mn orebody
Where rockhounds find ingersonite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Värmland, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In dump material from a metamorphosed Fe-Mn orebody. If you start seeing filipstadite, jacobsite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: subhedral crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find ingersonite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
