Lucabindiite is a very rare arsenic-bearing mineral found primarily in the fumaroles of the La Fossa crater in Italy. It typically occurs as tiny, tabular, yellow crystals or crusts deposited by volcanic gases and is prized by advanced mineral collectors.
Is this lucabindiite?
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 lucabindiite with a known reference. Lucabindiite sits at Mohs 1.5-2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Lucabindiite leaves a pale yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Lucabindiite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, orange-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts.
Often confused with
Lucabindiite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Lucabindiite leaves pale yellow, Arsenolite leaves white; luster reads adamantine on Lucabindiite and vitreous on Arsenolite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Lucabindiite leaves pale yellow, Claudetite leaves white; luster reads adamantine on Lucabindiite and vitreous on Claudetite.
Often found alongside lucabindiite
Minerals reported to co-occur with lucabindiite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (K,NH₄)As₄O₆(Cl,OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 1.5-2
- Density
- 3.37 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale Yellow
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Crusts
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Fumarolic Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find lucabindiite
Classic worldwide localities
- La Fossa crater, Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in fumarolic deposits country — that is the host setting where lucabindiite typically forms. If you start seeing realgar, orpiment, sulfur in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find lucabindiite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
