Quenselite is a rare lead manganese hydroxide mineral typically found as small, thin, black tabular crystals. It is primarily known from the historic manganese mines of Långban, Sweden, where it occurs within high-grade metamorphic ore bodies.
Is this quenselite?
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 quenselite with a known reference. Quenselite sits at Mohs 2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: dark brownish gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic to adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pitch black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, thin plates.
Often confused with
Quenselite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Hausmannite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5.5 vs. 2.5); luster reads metallic to adamantine on Quenselite and submetallic on Hausmannite.
How to tell apart: Manganite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4 vs. 2.5); streak differs, so Quenselite leaves dark brownish gray, Manganite leaves reddish brown to nearly black; luster reads metallic to adamantine on Quenselite and submetallic on Manganite.
Often found alongside quenselite
Minerals reported to co-occur with quenselite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbMn³⁺O₂(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 6.84 g/cm³
- Colors
- Pitch black
- Streak
- Dark brownish gray
- Luster
- Metallic to adamantine
- Transparency
- Opaque, translucent on thin edges
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, thin plates
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}, nearly micaceous
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a metamorphosed Fe–Mn orebody (Långban, Sweden)
Where rockhounds find quenselite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Värmland, Sweden
- Tirodi, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Luce Bay, Wigtownshire, Scotland
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a metamorphosed Fe–Mn orebody (Långban, Sweden). If you start seeing calcite, barite, hausmannite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, thin plates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify quenselite?+
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Is quenselite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like quenselite?+
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Find quenselite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
