Perryite is a rare phosphide mineral found exclusively in iron meteorites. It typically occurs as small, bronze-colored metallic grains intergrown with other nickel-iron meteoritic minerals.
Is this perryite?
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 perryite with a known reference. Perryite 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: gray white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: anhedral grains, massive, interstitial.
Often confused with
Perryite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Schreibersite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 4-5); streak differs, so Perryite leaves black, Schreibersite leaves dark gray; luster reads submetallic on Perryite and brilliant metallic on Schreibersite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Perryite leaves black, Troilite leaves dark grayish brown; luster reads submetallic on Perryite and metallic on Troilite.
Often found alongside perryite
Minerals reported to co-occur with perryite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Ni,Fe)₈(Si,P)₃
- Mohs hardness
- 4-5
- Density
- 7.63 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral grains, massive, interstitial
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In anomalously silicon-rich mesosiderite and enstatite chondrite meteorites, probably formed by exsolution from kamacite
Where rockhounds find perryite
Classic worldwide localities
- Horse Creek and Mount Egerton iron meteorites, and the Kota-Kota, South Oman, St. Marks, Norton County, Indarch
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In anomalously silicon-rich mesosiderite and enstatite chondrite meteorites, probably formed by exsolution from kamacite. If you start seeing kamacite, troilite, schreibersite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: anhedral grains, massive, interstitial. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify perryite?+
Where is perryite found?+
Is perryite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like perryite?+
What minerals are found with perryite?+
What kind of rock does perryite form in?+
What is perryite used for?+
Find perryite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
