Kitkaite is a rare nickel telluride selenide mineral typically found as small grains in sulfide-bearing hydrothermal veins. It is most famous from its type locality in Finland, where it appears in association with other rare tellurides and sulfides.
Is this kitkaite?
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 kitkaite with a known reference. Kitkaite sits at Mohs 3.5, 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: yellow gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: granular.
Often confused with
Kitkaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside kitkaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with kitkaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NiTeSe
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 7.19 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Granular
- Cleavage
- Good on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In narrow carbonate-bearing fissure veinlets in albite
Where rockhounds find kitkaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kuusamo, northeastern Finland (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In narrow carbonate-bearing fissure veinlets in albite. If you start seeing clausthalite, hematite, selenian polydymite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify kitkaite?+
Where is kitkaite found?+
Is kitkaite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like kitkaite?+
What minerals are found with kitkaite?+
What kind of rock does kitkaite form in?+
What is kitkaite used for?+
Find kitkaite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
