Native manganese is an extremely rare metallic mineral that oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air. It is typically found as inclusions or in association with manganese oxides, appearing as a dull, silvery-grey to black metallic substance. Collectors rarely find it in pure form, and it is usually preserved in sealed containers to prevent degradation.
Is this manganese?
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 manganese with a known reference. Manganese 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. Manganese leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Manganese typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silvery-gray, iron-black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: massive, granular, or botryoidal.
Often confused with
Manganese vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Pyrolusite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 2).
How to tell apart: Manganite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4 vs. 2); streak differs, so Manganese leaves black, Manganite leaves dark reddish-brown; luster reads metallic on Manganese and submetallic on Manganite.
How to tell apart: Romanèchite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 2); streak differs, so Manganese leaves black, Romanèchite leaves shiny brownish black; luster reads metallic on Manganese and submetallic to dull on Romanèchite.
Often found alongside manganese
Minerals reported to co-occur with manganese. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mn
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 7.2-7.4 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Or Botryoidal
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Scientific, Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Manganese Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-500 per specimen
Where rockhounds find manganese
19 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Kuznetsk Alatau, Russia
- Yakutia, Russia
- Khibiny Massif, Russia
U.S. states with manganese
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce manganese.
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, manganese deposits country, the host setting where manganese typically forms. If you start seeing pyrolusite, manganite, hausmannite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, or botryoidal habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Nevada, North Carolina, Minnesota. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find manganese on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
