Linarite is a striking deep-blue secondary mineral found in the oxidation zones of lead-copper deposits. It is best identified by its intense azure color and characteristic tabular or prismatic crystal habits often found associated with anglesite or cerussite.
Is this linarite?
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 linarite with a known reference. Linarite sits at Mohs 2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Linarite leaves a pale blue streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Linarite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: deep blue, azure blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, prismatic, encrusting, or massive.
Often confused with
Linarite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Azurite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5); streak differs — Linarite leaves pale blue, Azurite leaves light blue; luster reads vitreous on Linarite and vitreous to dull on Azurite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Linarite leaves pale blue, Caledonite leaves blue-white.
Often found alongside linarite
Minerals reported to co-occur with linarite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbCuSO₄(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 5.3-5.45 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale Blue
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Prismatic, Encrusting, Or Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {101}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Lead-copper Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-150 for small specimens, higher for large crystallized plates
Where rockhounds find linarite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Linares, Spain
- Mammoth-St. Anthony Mine, Arizona, USA
- Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
- Tsumeb, Namibia
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of lead-copper ore deposits country — that is the host setting where linarite typically forms. If you start seeing anglesite, cerussite, brochantite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, prismatic, encrusting, or massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New Mexico — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find linarite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
