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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — that is 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.
