Nisnite is an extremely rare nickel-tin intermetallic mineral discovered in British Columbia. It typically occurs as small tabular crystals or massive grains within hydrothermal vein assemblages and is prized primarily by mineralogists and advanced collectors.
Is this nisnite?
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 nisnite with a known reference. Nisnite 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. Nisnite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Nisnite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, silver-white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive.
Often confused with
Nisnite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Maucherite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 4); streak differs — Nisnite leaves black, Maucherite leaves greyish-black.
How to tell apart: Nickeline is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 4); streak differs — Nisnite leaves black, Nickeline leaves brownish-black.
Often found alongside nisnite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nisnite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ni₃Sn
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 8.87 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find nisnite
Classic worldwide localities
- Nis-Nis claim, British Columbia, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where nisnite typically forms. If you start seeing galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find nisnite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
