Manganarsite is an extremely rare manganese arsenate mineral known primarily from the Långban mining district in Sweden. It typically occurs as tiny, transparent, yellow tabular crystals within manganese ore assemblages and requires magnification for proper identification.
Is this manganarsite?
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 manganarsite with a known reference. Manganarsite 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. Manganarsite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Manganarsite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellow-brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Manganarsite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Armangite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2); streak differs — Manganarsite leaves yellow, Armangite leaves brown; luster reads vitreous on Manganarsite and adamantine on Armangite.
How to tell apart: Manganberzeliite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 2); streak differs — Manganarsite leaves yellow, Manganberzeliite leaves white.
Often found alongside manganarsite
Minerals reported to co-occur with manganarsite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn₃(AsO₄)₂(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 3.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Iron-manganese Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $100-500 for high-quality micro-specimens
Where rockhounds find manganarsite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed iron-manganese ore deposits country — that is the host setting where manganarsite typically forms. If you start seeing hausmannite, hedyphane, jakobsite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find manganarsite on the map
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