Native titanium is an extremely rare terrestrial mineral, often occurring as microscopic grains or inclusions within chromite or other ultramafic assemblages. It is best known to collectors as an extraterrestrial phase found in specific meteorites, characterized by its metallic luster and silver-white appearance.
Is this native titanium?
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 titanium with a known reference. Native Titanium sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silver gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: microscopic crystals.
Often confused with
Native Titanium vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Ilmenite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 4).
How to tell apart: Rutile is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 4); streak differs, so Native Titanium leaves black, Rutile leaves pale brown, yellowish brown; gray, greenish black with high nb–ta; luster reads metallic on Native Titanium and adamantine to submetallic on Rutile.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Native Titanium leaves black, Iron leaves gray.
Often found alongside native titanium
Minerals reported to co-occur with native titanium. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ti
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 4.3-4.5 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Microscopic crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- Microscopic inclusions in coesite eclogites
Where rockhounds find native titanium
Classic worldwide localities
- Dabieshan, China (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Microscopic inclusions in coesite eclogites. If you start seeing chromite, olivine, magnetite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: microscopic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify native titanium?+
Where is native titanium found?+
What rocks look like native titanium?+
What minerals are found with native titanium?+
What kind of rock does native titanium form in?+
What is native titanium used for?+
Find native titanium on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
