Liebermannite is an extremely rare high-pressure silicate mineral identified primarily in shocked meteorites. It typically occurs as microscopic inclusions within impact melt veins, often associated with other high-pressure phases like stishovite.
Is this liebermannite?
3-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 liebermannite with a known reference. Liebermannite sits at Mohs 6-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 3Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Liebermannite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside liebermannite
Minerals reported to co-occur with liebermannite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KAlSi₃O₈
- Mohs hardness
- 6-7
- Density
- 3.98 g/cm³
- Colors
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic crystals
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Shock-generated, high-pressure mineral formed via solid-state transformation of primary igneous K-feldspar in a Martian-enriched basaltic shergottite meteorite
Where rockhounds find liebermannite
Classic worldwide localities
- Wabar Craters, Saudi Arabia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Shock-generated, high-pressure mineral formed via solid-state transformation of primary igneous K-feldspar in a Martian-enriched basaltic shergottite meteorite. If you start seeing lingunite, silica, ilmenite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify liebermannite?+
Where is liebermannite found?+
What rocks look like liebermannite?+
What minerals are found with liebermannite?+
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What is liebermannite used for?+
Find liebermannite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
