Nealite is an extremely rare lead-arsenic mineral found almost exclusively in the ancient smelting slags of the Laurium district in Greece. It typically forms delicate, needle-like or bladed crystals with a striking orange to yellow hue. Collectors should handle specimens with care due to their lead and arsenic content.
Is this nealite?
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 nealite with a known reference. Nealite sits at Mohs 2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Nealite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Nealite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: orange, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: acicular or bladed crystals, often in radiating sprays.
Often confused with
Nealite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Nealite leaves yellow, Linarite leaves pale blue.
How to tell apart: Mimetite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5); streak differs — Nealite leaves yellow, Mimetite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Nealite and adamantine on Mimetite.
Often found alongside nealite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nealite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₄Fe(AsO₃)₂(CO₃)Cl₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 4.2 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular or Bladed Crystals, Often in Radiating Sprays
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Lead-bearing Slag Deposits
- Typical price
- $100-500 for small thumbnail specimens
Where rockhounds find nealite
Classic worldwide localities
- Laurium, Greece
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized lead-bearing slag deposits country — that is the host setting where nealite typically forms. If you start seeing laurionite, phosgenite, fiedlerite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular or bladed crystals, often in radiating sprays habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nealite?+
Where is nealite found?+
How much is nealite worth?+
Is nealite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like nealite?+
What minerals are found with nealite?+
What kind of rock does nealite form in?+
What is nealite used for?+
Find nealite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
