Mayingite is a rare silver-lead bismuth telluride mineral found primarily in gold-bearing hydrothermal deposits. It is typically identified through polished section microscopy due to its small grain size and steel-black color.
Is this mayingite?
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 mayingite with a known reference. Mayingite 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. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: steel black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: granular.
Often confused with
Mayingite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside mayingite
Minerals reported to co-occur with mayingite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- IrBiTe
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 12.72 g/cm³
- Colors
- Steel black
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Granular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In chromite ore and placer concentrates
Where rockhounds find mayingite
Classic worldwide localities
- Near the village of Maying, about 230 km NNE of Beijing, People's Republic of China (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In chromite ore and placer concentrates. If you start seeing platinum, iridisite, laurite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify mayingite?+
Where is mayingite found?+
Is mayingite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like mayingite?+
What minerals are found with mayingite?+
What kind of rock does mayingite form in?+
What is mayingite used for?+
Find mayingite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
