Raberite is an extremely rare thallium-arsenic sulfosalt found primarily in the Allchar deposit of North Macedonia. It typically occurs as small black tabular crystals or in massive form, often associated with other rare thallium-bearing minerals.
Is this raberite?
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 raberite with a known reference. Raberite 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. Raberite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Raberite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, massive.
Often confused with
Raberite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Raberite leaves black, Lorandite leaves cherry-red.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Raberite leaves black, Smithite leaves orange-red; luster reads metallic on Raberite and adamantine on Smithite.
Often found alongside raberite
Minerals reported to co-occur with raberite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Tl₅As₂SbS₆
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 4.86 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $100-500 per specimen
Where rockhounds find raberite
Classic worldwide localities
- Allchar, North Macedonia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country, the host setting where raberite typically forms. If you start seeing lorandite, realgar, orpiment in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find raberite on the map
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