Melcherite is a rare niobium-bearing member of the pyrochlore supergroup found in alkaline igneous complexes. It typically presents as small, yellow, octahedral crystals embedded within carbonatite rock, often identified through professional mineralogical testing due to its close similarity to other pyrochlore species.
Is this melcherite?
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 melcherite with a known reference. Melcherite 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. Melcherite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Melcherite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brownish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: octahedral to pseudo-octahedral crystals.
Often confused with
Melcherite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside melcherite
Minerals reported to co-occur with melcherite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ba(Nb,Ti)₂(O,OH)₇
- Mohs hardness
- 5
- Density
- 4.92 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Octahedral to Pseudo-octahedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Carbonatite
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find melcherite
Classic worldwide localities
- Jacupiranga Mine, Brazil
Field-hunting tip
Look in carbonatite country — that is the host setting where melcherite typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, magnetite, phlogopite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a octahedral to pseudo-octahedral crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find melcherite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
