Livingstonite is a rare mercury-antimony sulfide typically found as clusters of elongated, prismatic, or fibrous crystals with a metallic luster. It is most famous for its occurrence in the Huitzuco mines of Mexico, where it often forms alongside stibnite. Due to its mercury and antimony content, it should be stored carefully and handled with minimal physical contact.
Is this livingstonite?
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 livingstonite with a known reference. Livingstonite 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. Livingstonite leaves a red streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Livingstonite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: lead-gray, dark gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, fibrous, bladed.
Often confused with
Livingstonite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside livingstonite
Minerals reported to co-occur with livingstonite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- HgSb₄S₇
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 4.81 g/cm³
- Streak
- Red
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Fibrous, Bladed
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-500 thumbnail to small cabinet
Where rockhounds find livingstonite
Classic worldwide localities
- Huitzuco, Guerrero, Mexico
- Khaydarkan, Kyrgyzstan
- Almaden, Spain
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where livingstonite typically forms. If you start seeing stibnite, cinnabar, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, fibrous, bladed habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify livingstonite?+
Where is livingstonite found?+
How much is livingstonite worth?+
Is livingstonite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like livingstonite?+
What minerals are found with livingstonite?+
What kind of rock does livingstonite form in?+
What is livingstonite used for?+
Find livingstonite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
