Native Sulphur is easily recognized by its distinctive bright yellow color, resinous luster, and low hardness. It is typically found near volcanic vents or as a secondary mineral in sedimentary beds associated with evaporites.
Is this native sulphur?
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 sulphur with a known reference. Native Sulphur sits at Mohs 1.5-2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Native Sulphur leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Native Sulphur typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellow-orange, yellow-brown, greenish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: dipyramidal crystals, earthy, massive, encrusting.
Often confused with
Native Sulphur vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Native Sulphur leaves white, Orpiment leaves yellow.
How to tell apart: Sphalerite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 1.5-2.5); streak differs, so Native Sulphur leaves white, Sphalerite leaves white to yellow-brown; luster reads resinous on Native Sulphur and resinous to submetallic on Sphalerite.
How to tell apart: Smithsonite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4-4.5 vs. 1.5-2.5); luster reads resinous on Native Sulphur and vitreous on Smithsonite.
Often found alongside native sulphur
Minerals reported to co-occur with native sulphur. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- S
- Mohs hardness
- 1.5-2.5
- Density
- 2.0-2.1 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Dipyramidal Crystals, Earthy, Massive, Encrusting
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Industrial
- Host rock
- Volcanic Fumaroles, Sedimentary Evaporite Deposits
- Typical price
- $5-50 thumbnail, $50-300 cabinet
Where rockhounds find native sulphur
Classic worldwide localities
- Sicily, Italy
- Poland
- Texas, USA
- Louisiana, USA
- Sumatra, Indonesia
Field-hunting tip
Look in volcanic fumaroles, sedimentary evaporite deposits country, the host setting where native sulphur typically forms. If you start seeing gypsum, aragonite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a dipyramidal crystals, earthy, massive, encrusting habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
More native sulphur photos
Common questions
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Find native sulphur on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
