Rozenite is a secondary sulfate mineral that typically forms as a white, powdery efflorescence on decomposing iron-sulfide minerals. It is notoriously unstable in humid conditions, often dehydrating or rehydrating depending on environmental humidity, requiring sealed storage for collectors.
Is this rozenite?
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 rozenite with a known reference. Rozenite 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. Rozenite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Rozenite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, snow-white, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, crusty, or powdery efflorescences.
Often confused with
Rozenite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside rozenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with rozenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- FeSO₄·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 2.17 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Crusty, Or Powdery Efflorescences
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Oxidized Sulfide Deposits, Mine Tailings, Coal Mine Dumps
- Typical price
- $10-40 for thumbnail specimens
Where rockhounds find rozenite
Classic worldwide localities
- Goslar, Germany
- Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia
- Chile
- United States
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized sulfide deposits, mine tailings, coal mine dumps country — that is the host setting where rozenite typically forms. If you start seeing melanterite, pyrite, copiapite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, crusty, or powdery efflorescences habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find rozenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
