Nabokoite is a rare volcanic mineral discovered in the fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano in Russia. It typically appears as distinct, bright greenish-yellow tabular crystals or thin crusts associated with other rare tellurium and copper minerals.
Is this nabokoite?
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 nabokoite with a known reference. Nabokoite sits at Mohs 2-2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow-brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellow brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: tabular.
Often confused with
Nabokoite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Empressite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs, so Nabokoite leaves yellow-brown, Empressite leaves gray-black to black; luster reads vitreous on Nabokoite and metallic on Empressite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Nabokoite leaves yellow-brown, Tellurite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Nabokoite and subadamantine on Tellurite.
Often found alongside nabokoite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nabokoite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu₇TeO₄(SO₄)₅KCl
- Mohs hardness
- 2-2.5
- Density
- 4.18 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare sublimate formed in a volcanic fumarole
Where rockhounds find nabokoite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tolbachik fissure volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare sublimate formed in a volcanic fumarole. If you start seeing atlasovite, chalcocyanite, dolerophanite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nabokoite?+
Where is nabokoite found?+
Is nabokoite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like nabokoite?+
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Find nabokoite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
