Pseudorutile is a secondary mineral that forms as a result of the alteration of ilmenite. It is typically found as dull, reddish-brown pseudomorphs after ilmenite in weathered heavy mineral sands and igneous deposits.
Is this pseudorutile?
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 pseudorutile with a known reference. Pseudorutile sits at Mohs 5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: reddish brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: submetallic to metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brown, red, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: pseudomorphs after ilmenite, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Pseudorutile vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Pseudorutile leaves reddish brown, Rutile leaves pale brown, yellowish brown; gray, greenish black with high nb–ta; luster reads submetallic to metallic on Pseudorutile and adamantine to submetallic on Rutile.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Pseudorutile leaves reddish brown, Ilmenite leaves black to reddish brown; luster reads submetallic to metallic on Pseudorutile and metallic to submetallic on Ilmenite.
Often found alongside pseudorutile
Minerals reported to co-occur with pseudorutile. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe³⁺₂Ti₃O₉
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 3.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- Reddish brown
- Luster
- Submetallic to metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque, transparent when very thin
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Pseudomorphs after ilmenite, massive, granular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An intermediate product of the weathering of ilmenite
Where rockhounds find pseudorutile
Classic worldwide localities
- Lakehurst, Ocean Co., New Jersey, USA
- South Neptune Island, South Australia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An intermediate product of the weathering of ilmenite. If you start seeing ilmenite, rutile, anatase in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: pseudomorphs after ilmenite, massive, granular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify pseudorutile?+
Where is pseudorutile found?+
What rocks look like pseudorutile?+
What minerals are found with pseudorutile?+
What kind of rock does pseudorutile form in?+
What is pseudorutile used for?+
Find pseudorutile on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
