Pittongite is an extremely rare lead-antimony oxide mineral originally discovered in Victoria, Australia. It typically occurs as small, delicate yellow to brownish-yellow acicular crystal clusters or crusts within oxidized antimony ores. Because of its rarity and limited locality, it is primarily sought after by advanced systematic mineral collectors.
Is this pittongite?
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 pittongite with a known reference. Pittongite sits at Mohs 3.5-4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Pittongite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pittongite typically shows a adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, yellowish-brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: microscopic acicular crystals and crusts.
Often confused with
Pittongite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads adamantine on Pittongite and earthy on Bindheimite.
How to tell apart: Stibiconite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. 3.5-4); streak differs — Pittongite leaves yellow, Stibiconite leaves white; luster reads adamantine on Pittongite and dull on Stibiconite.
Often found alongside pittongite
Minerals reported to co-occur with pittongite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₄Sb₄O₁₁
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 5.68 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Microscopic Acicular Crystals and Crusts
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Stibnite-bearing Quartz Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find pittongite
Classic worldwide localities
- Pittong, Victoria, Australia
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized stibnite-bearing quartz veins country — that is the host setting where pittongite typically forms. If you start seeing stibnite, bindheimite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a microscopic acicular crystals and crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find pittongite on the map
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