Manganite is a manganese oxide mineral typically found as dark, striated, prismatic crystals. It is easily distinguished from other black manganese minerals by its characteristic dark reddish-brown streak. It is most commonly found in hydrothermal deposits associated with other manganese minerals and carbonates.
Is this manganite?
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 manganite with a known reference. Manganite sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Manganite leaves a dark reddish-brown streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Manganite typically shows a submetallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark gray, black, steel-gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, striated, columnar, or massive.
Often confused with
Manganite 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. 4); streak differs, so Manganite leaves dark reddish-brown, Pyrolusite leaves black; luster reads submetallic on Manganite and metallic on Pyrolusite.
How to tell apart: Romanèchite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 4); streak differs, so Manganite leaves dark reddish-brown, Romanèchite leaves shiny brownish black; luster reads submetallic on Manganite and submetallic to dull on Romanèchite.
How to tell apart: Hausmannite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 4); streak differs, so Manganite leaves dark reddish-brown, Hausmannite leaves brownish-red.
Often found alongside manganite
Minerals reported to co-occur with manganite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnO(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 4.3-4.4 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Dark Reddish-brown
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Striated, Columnar, Or Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {010}
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Ore of Manganese
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find manganite
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Ilfeld, Germany
- Hartz Mountains, Germany
- Negaunee, Michigan, USA
- Postmasburg, South Africa
- Wattle Flat, Australia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, sedimentary deposits country, the host setting where manganite typically forms. If you start seeing pyrolusite, barite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, striated, columnar, or massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find manganite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
