Nuragheite is a rare thorium-bearing molybdate mineral primarily found in oxidized hydrothermal deposits. It typically occurs as small, delicate colorless tabular crystals forming crusts on host rock matrix.
Is this nuragheite?
4-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 nuragheite with a known reference. Nuragheite sits at Mohs 2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: pearly to adamantine.
- 3Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 4Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts.
Often confused with
Nuragheite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Molybdite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3-4 vs. 2); luster reads pearly to adamantine on Nuragheite and adamantine on Molybdite.
How to tell apart: Powellite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2); luster reads pearly to adamantine on Nuragheite and subadamantine, resinous, pearly on Powellite.
Often found alongside nuragheite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nuragheite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Th(MoO₄)₂·H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 5.147 g/cm³
- Colors
- Luster
- Pearly to adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In hydrothermal quartz veins by alteration of a Mo-Bi deposit
Where rockhounds find nuragheite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mo-Bi mineralization at Su Seinargiu, Sarroch, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In hydrothermal quartz veins by alteration of a Mo-Bi deposit. If you start seeing muscovite, xenotime-, ichnusaite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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What rocks look like nuragheite?+
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Find nuragheite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
