Manganotychite is a rare manganese-dominant member of the tychite group, primarily known from unique alkaline rock environments. Collectors typically look for small, sharp, yellow pseudo-octahedral crystals that often appear in cavities within intrusive rocks.
Is this manganotychite?
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 manganotychite with a known reference. Manganotychite 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. Manganotychite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Manganotychite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellowish-brown, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: equant pseudo-octahedral crystals.
Often confused with
Manganotychite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside manganotychite
Minerals reported to co-occur with manganotychite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₆Mn₂(SO₄)(CO₃)₄
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 2.81 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Equant Pseudo-octahedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Alkaline Igneous Pegmatites and Carbonatites
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find manganotychite
Classic worldwide localities
- Kovdor Massif (Kola Peninsula, Russia)
- Mont Saint-Hilaire (Quebec, Canada)
Field-hunting tip
Look in alkaline igneous pegmatites and carbonatites country, the host setting where manganotychite typically forms. If you start seeing eitelite, shortite, kovdorskite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a equant pseudo-octahedral crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify manganotychite?+
Where is manganotychite found?+
How much is manganotychite worth?+
What rocks look like manganotychite?+
What minerals are found with manganotychite?+
What kind of rock does manganotychite form in?+
What is manganotychite used for?+
Find manganotychite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
