Parkerite is a rare nickel bismuth sulfide that typically appears as metallic, bronze-colored grains or tabular crystals. It is primarily found within complex magmatic nickel-copper sulfide deposits associated with mafic to ultramafic rocks. Collectors typically find it as an accessory mineral in ore samples from famous mining districts like Sudbury.
Is this parkerite?
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 parkerite with a known reference. Parkerite sits at Mohs 2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Parkerite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Parkerite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bronze, copper-red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Parkerite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Pyrrhotite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4.5 vs. 2); streak differs — Parkerite leaves black, Pyrrhotite leaves dark grey to black.
How to tell apart: Pentlandite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2); streak differs — Parkerite leaves black, Pentlandite leaves light bronze-brown.
Often found alongside parkerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with parkerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ni₃(Bi,Pb)₂S₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 7.38 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Massive, Granular
- Cleavage
- Good On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Magmatic Sulfide Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find parkerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Sudbury district, Ontario, Canada
- Insizwa, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Norilsk, Siberia, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Look in magmatic sulfide deposits country — that is the host setting where parkerite typically forms. If you start seeing pentlandite, chalcopyrite, cubanite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, massive, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find parkerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
