Nežilovite is a rare lead-zinc-manganese oxide mineral belonging to the magnetoplumbite group. It typically appears as small, dark, tabular hexagonal crystals in metamorphic environments and is primarily sought after by advanced collectors of rare minerals.
Is this nežilovite?
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 nežilovite with a known reference. Nežilovite sits at Mohs 4-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: dark brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: tabular.
Often confused with
Nežilovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Magnetoplumbite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6 vs. 4-5).
How to tell apart: Plumboferrite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5 vs. 4-5); streak differs, so Nežilovite leaves dark brown, Plumboferrite leaves nearly black; luster reads metallic on Nežilovite and submetallic on Plumboferrite.
Often found alongside nežilovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nežilovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb[Mn₂Fe₇AlZn₂]O₁₉
- Mohs hardness
- 4-5
- Density
- 5.69 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Dark brown
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In pink dolomitic marble from a Precambrian metamorphic complex
Where rockhounds find nežilovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Nezilovo, Republic of Macedonia (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In pink dolomitic marble from a Precambrian metamorphic complex. If you start seeing willemite, hausmannite, rhombododecahedral garnet in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nežilovite?+
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Is nežilovite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like nežilovite?+
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Find nežilovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
