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, so 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, so 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, 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.
