Molybdenite is the primary ore of molybdenum, easily identified by its metallic lead-gray color, greasy feel, and perfect cleavage that creates flexible, non-elastic plates. It is significantly denser than its look-alike, graphite, and produces a characteristic greenish-gray streak on unglazed porcelain.
Is this molybdenite?
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 molybdenite with a known reference. Molybdenite 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. Streak: bluish gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: lead-gray, bluish-gray, black, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: disseminated, foliated, massive.
Often confused with
Molybdenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Molybdenite leaves bluish gray, Graphite leaves black to steel-gray, shining.
How to tell apart: Hematite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 1-1.5); streak differs, so Molybdenite leaves bluish gray, Hematite leaves cherry-red or reddish brown.
Often found alongside molybdenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with molybdenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MoS₂
- Mohs hardness
- 1-1.5
- Density
- 4.62-4.73 g/cm³
- Streak
- Bluish gray
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Disseminated, foliated, massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {0001}
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Industrial, Collector
- Host rock
- In high-temperature hydrothermal veins
Where rockhounds find molybdenite
16 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Frankford quarry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Fine crystals occur, in the USA, at the Crown Point mine, Lake Chelan, Chelan Co., Washington
- Temiskaming district, and in Aldfield Township, Quebec, Canada
- Raade, near Moss, and at Vennesla, near Arendal, Norway
- Adun-Chilon Mountains, south of Nerchinsk, Transbaikal, Russia
- Miass, Ilmen Mountains, Southern Ural Mountains, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In high-temperature hydrothermal veins. If you start seeing chalcopyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: disseminated, foliated, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, Maine, New Mexico. Start trip planning there.
More molybdenite photos
Common questions
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Find molybdenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
