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 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black, shining.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bronze, bronze brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: granular, microscopic crystals.
Often confused with
Parkerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
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
- 3
- Density
- 8.50 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black, shining
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Granular, microscopic crystals
- Cleavage
- {001}, perfect; parting on {111}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- As grains in other hydrothermal sulfide and arsenide minerals
Where rockhounds find parkerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Insizwa Cu–Ni deposit, Waterfall Gorge, Eastern Cape, South Africa (type locality), and in the Loolekop carbonatite, Phalaborwa, Transvaal, South Africa
- Strathcona mine, Sudbury, and from the Langis mine, Casey Township, Cobalt-Gowganda area, Ontario, Canada
- Gaspe copper mine, Quebec, Canada
- Gros Cap area, near Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada
- Noril’sk region, western Siberia, Russia
- Karik’yavr Cu–Ni deposit, Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: As grains in other hydrothermal sulfide and arsenide minerals. If you start seeing galena, bismuth, bismuthinite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular, microscopic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify parkerite?+
Where is parkerite found?+
Is parkerite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like parkerite?+
What minerals are found with parkerite?+
What kind of rock does parkerite form in?+
What is parkerite used for?+
Find parkerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
