Maucherite is a rare nickel arsenide typically found in hydrothermal veins associated with other cobalt-nickel minerals. It is easily identified by its distinct copper-red metallic color which may tarnish slightly upon exposure to air.
Is this maucherite?
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 maucherite with a known reference. Maucherite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: blackish gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: grayish copper red, reddish silver white, bronze yellow, reddish white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: striated, tabular.
Often confused with
Maucherite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Maucherite leaves blackish gray, Nickeline leaves pale brownish black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Maucherite leaves blackish gray, Skutterudite leaves black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Maucherite leaves blackish gray, Arsenopyrite leaves black.
Often found alongside maucherite
Minerals reported to co-occur with maucherite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ni₁₁As₈
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 8.00 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Blackish gray
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Striated, tabular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal veins with other nickel arsenides and sulfides
Where rockhounds find maucherite
Classic worldwide localities
- Gem mine, northwest of Silver Cliff, Fremont Co., Colorado, USA
- Mohawk mine, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, USA
- Mackinaw mine, Monte Cristo, Snohomish Co., Washington, USA
- Eisleben, Saxony-Anhalt (type locality), at Mansfeld, Thuringia, and from Bieber, near Hanau, Hesse, Germany
- Schladming, Styria, Austria
- Bădeanca, from Băiţa, and in the East Făgăraş Mountains, Romania
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal veins with other nickel arsenides and sulfides. If you start seeing nickeline, nickel-skutterudite, chalcopyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: striated, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify maucherite?+
Where is maucherite found?+
Is maucherite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like maucherite?+
What minerals are found with maucherite?+
What kind of rock does maucherite form in?+
What is maucherite used for?+
Find maucherite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
