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 — 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 — 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 — that is 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.
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.
