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, 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
How do you identify rozenite?+
Where is rozenite found?+
How much is rozenite worth?+
What rocks look like rozenite?+
What minerals are found with rozenite?+
What kind of rock does rozenite form in?+
What is rozenite used for?+
Find rozenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
