Paramontroseite is a rare vanadium oxide mineral found primarily in altered uranium-vanadium sandstone deposits. It typically occurs as a secondary alteration product of montroseite, often preserving the prismatic crystal habit of the precursor. Collectors prize it for its association with secondary vanadium minerals in Colorado Plateau type deposits.
Is this paramontroseite?
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 paramontroseite with a known reference. Paramontroseite 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: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: submetallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Paramontroseite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Rutile is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 4-5); streak differs, so Paramontroseite leaves black, Rutile leaves pale brown, yellowish brown; gray, greenish black with high nb–ta; luster reads submetallic on Paramontroseite and adamantine to submetallic on Rutile.
Often found alongside paramontroseite
Minerals reported to co-occur with paramontroseite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- VO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 4-5
- Density
- 4 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic crystals, massive, granular
- Cleavage
- Good on {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In relatively unoxidized Colorado Plateau-type U–V ores in sandstones, formed by dehydrogenation of montroseite (Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, USA)
Where rockhounds find paramontroseite
Classic worldwide localities
- Juniper mine, near Thompson, Grand Co., the Rex No. 2 mine, Temple Mountain, and Mi Vida mine, Monticello district, Emery Co., Utah, USA
- Martin, Mesa 4-1/2, and Cove mines, Carrizo Mountains, and the Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley, Apache Co., Arizona, USA
- Grants district, McKinley Co., New Mexico, USA
- Runge mine, Edgemont, Fall River Co., South Dakota, USA
- Příbram, and in the Novoveska Huta deposit, Czech Republic
- Urcal deposit, La Rioja, and in the Huemul mine, Malargüe district, Mendoza Province, Argentina
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In relatively unoxidized Colorado Plateau-type U–V ores in sandstones, formed by dehydrogenation of montroseite (Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, USA). If you start seeing montroseite, corvusite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, massive, granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find paramontroseite on the map
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