Jordanite is a rare lead arsenic sulfosalt often found as distinct, metallic, tabular crystals. It is most famous for its occurrence in the Binn Valley of Switzerland, where it is associated with a variety of other complex sulfosalts.
Is this jordanite?
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 jordanite with a known reference. Jordanite sits at Mohs 3, 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.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: lead gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: globular, granular, pseudo hexagonal.
Often confused with
Jordanite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside jordanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with jordanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₁₄As₆S₂₃
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 6.44 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Globular, granular, pseudo hexagonal
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {010}; parting on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In metamorphosed Pb–As occurrences in dolostone (Binntal, Switzerland); in low-temperature epithermal veins (Aomori Prefecture, Japan); in epithermal gold-quartz veins (Săcărı̂mb, Romania)
Where rockhounds find jordanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Zuni mine and Brobdingnag prospect, near Silverton, San Juan Co., Colorado, USA
- Keystone mine, Birmingham, Blair Co., Pennsylvania, USA
- Balmat-Edwards mine, Balmat, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA
- Lengenbach quarry, Binntal, Valais, Switzerland (type locality)
- Beuthen, Upper Silesia, Poland
- Wiesloch, near Heidelberg, Black Forest, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In metamorphosed Pb–As occurrences in dolostone (Binntal, Switzerland); in low-temperature epithermal veins (Aomori Prefecture, Japan); in epithermal gold-quartz veins (Săcărı̂mb, Romania). If you start seeing tennantite, seligmannite, dufrenoysite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: globular, granular, pseudo hexagonal. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find jordanite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
