Kolarite is an exceptionally rare lead telluride chloride mineral discovered in the gold-bearing quartz veins of India's Kolar Gold Fields. It typically presents as small yellow platy crystals or granular masses and is a significant find for advanced mineral collectors focusing on tellurides.
Is this kolarite?
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 kolarite with a known reference. Kolarite sits at Mohs 2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: aggregates, microscopic crystals.
Often confused with
Kolarite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Kolarite leaves yellow, Matlockite leaves white; luster reads metallic on Kolarite and adamantine, pearly on {001} on Matlockite.
How to tell apart: Penfieldite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3-4 vs. 2); streak differs, so Kolarite leaves yellow, Penfieldite leaves white; luster reads metallic on Kolarite and adamantine to greasy on Penfieldite.
Often found alongside kolarite
Minerals reported to co-occur with kolarite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbTeCl₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 9.14 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, microscopic crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Of primary origin, in a hydrothermal gold-quartz vein containing sulfides and selenides
Where rockhounds find kolarite
Classic worldwide localities
- Champion Reef mine, Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka, India
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Of primary origin, in a hydrothermal gold-quartz vein containing sulfides and selenides. If you start seeing galena, altaite, cotunnite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, microscopic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify kolarite?+
Where is kolarite found?+
Is kolarite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like kolarite?+
What minerals are found with kolarite?+
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Find kolarite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
