Kuranakhite is a rare lead-manganese tellurate mineral often found in the oxidation zones of tellurium-rich gold deposits. Collectors look for its characteristic black, submetallic prismatic crystals or radial acicular sprays within vugs of quartz or oxidized ore.
Is this kuranakhite?
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 kuranakhite with a known reference. Kuranakhite sits at Mohs 4-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, radial aggregates, crusts.
Often confused with
Kuranakhite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Kuranakhite leaves brown, Pyrolusite leaves black, bluish black; luster reads vitreous on Kuranakhite and metallic on Pyrolusite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Kuranakhite leaves brown, Manganite leaves reddish brown to nearly black; luster reads vitreous on Kuranakhite and submetallic on Manganite.
Often found alongside kuranakhite
Minerals reported to co-occur with kuranakhite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbMn⁴⁺Te⁶⁺O₆
- Mohs hardness
- 4-5
- Density
- 6.72 g/cm³
- Streak
- Brown
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic crystals, radial aggregates, crusts
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In the oxidized zone of a gold quartz deposit (Kuranakh deposit, Russia; Jialu deposit, China)
Where rockhounds find kuranakhite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kuranakh gold deposit, near Aldan, southern Sakha, Russia
- Jialu gold deposit, Xiaoqinling district, Shaanxi Province, China
- Ashley gold deposit, Bannockburn Township, Ontario, Canada
- Oriental (Bambollita) mine, northeast of the Moctezuma (Bambolla) mine, 12 km south of Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In the oxidized zone of a gold quartz deposit (Kuranakh deposit, Russia; Jialu deposit, China). If you start seeing gold, electrum, iron oxides in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, radial aggregates, crusts. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find kuranakhite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
