Native platinum is a heavy, malleable precious metal that typically occurs as small nuggets or rounded grains in alluvial deposits. It is known for its high density and resistant metallic luster, and it is usually found in basic and ultrabasic rocks.
Is this native platinum?
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 native platinum with a known reference. Native Platinum sits at Mohs 4-4.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: grayish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: whitish steel gray, steel gray, dark gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: granular, nuggets.
Often confused with
Native Platinum vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Sperrylite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-7 vs. 4-4.5); streak differs, so Native Platinum leaves grayish white, Sperrylite leaves black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Native Platinum leaves grayish white, Native Palladium leaves silvery white.
How to tell apart: Iridosmine is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-7 vs. 4-4.5); streak differs, so Native Platinum leaves grayish white, Iridosmine leaves gray.
Often found alongside native platinum
Minerals reported to co-occur with native platinum. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pt
- Mohs hardness
- 4-4.5
- Density
- 14-19 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Grayish white
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Granular, nuggets
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Industrial, Collector, Catalysis
- Host rock
- Chiefly in placer deposits, or in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks; rarely in hydrothermal quartz veins or contact metamorphic deposits
Where rockhounds find native platinum
Classic worldwide localities
- Platinum Creek, Goodnews Bay, Alaska, USA
- A number of placers, as in Trinity Co., California, USA
- Oroville, Butte Co., California, USA
- Cape Blanco, Port Orford, Curry Co., Oregon, USA
- Pinto River, near Papayan, in the Department of Chocó, Cauca, Colombia (type locality)
- Rivière-du-Loup and Rivière des Plantes, Beauce Co., Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Chiefly in placer deposits, or in mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks; rarely in hydrothermal quartz veins or contact metamorphic deposits. If you start seeing pt–fe alloys, chalcopyrite, chromite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular, nuggets. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
More native platinum photos
Common questions
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Find native platinum on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
