Melonite is a rare nickel telluride mineral that typically forms as small, metallic, reddish-white tabular crystals or granular masses. It is primarily found in hydrothermal veins associated with other telluride minerals and native gold, making it a target for serious mineral collectors interested in telluride paragenesis.
Is this melonite?
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 melonite with a known reference. Melonite sits at Mohs 1-1.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Melonite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Melonite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: reddish-white, silver-white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Melonite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Melonite leaves black, Tellurobismuthite leaves lead-gray.
How to tell apart: Altaite is the harder of the two (Mohs 2.5-3 vs. 1-1.5).
How to tell apart: Frohbergite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5 vs. 1-1.5).
Often found alongside melonite
Minerals reported to co-occur with melonite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NiTe₂
- Mohs hardness
- 1-1.5
- Density
- 9.5-9.6 g/cm³
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Massive, Granular
- Cleavage
- Perfect Basal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Research
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Gold-telluride Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen depending on size and association
Where rockhounds find melonite
Classic worldwide localities
- Melonite Creek, California, USA
- Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
- Robb-Montbray mine, Quebec, Canada
- Kochbulak deposit, Uzbekistan
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal gold-telluride veins country — that is the host setting where melonite typically forms. If you start seeing altaite, coloradoite, petzite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, massive, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find melonite on the map
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