Rusakovite is a rare hydrated iron vanadate mineral that typically forms as powdery crusts or earthy yellow to orange-yellow aggregates. It is primarily found in vanadium-rich sedimentary deposits and is highly prized by collectors for its distinct, vibrant yellow color and rarity. Because it is often soft and friable, it requires careful handling and storage to avoid damaging the specimen.
Is this rusakovite?
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 rusakovite with a known reference. Rusakovite sits at Mohs 1.5-2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: ocher-yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow orange, reddish yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: encrustations, reniform.
Often confused with
Rusakovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Rusakovite leaves ocher-yellow, Vanadinite leaves white to pale red or pale yellow; luster reads dull on Rusakovite and subresinous to subadamantine on Vanadinite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Rusakovite leaves ocher-yellow, Carnotite leaves strontian-yellow.
Often found alongside rusakovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with rusakovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Fe,Al)₅(VO₄)₂(OH)₉·3H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 1.5-2
- Density
- 2.73-2.80 g/cm³
- Streak
- Ocher-yellow
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Encrustations, reniform
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In the oxidized zone of a vanadium-rich carbonaceous shale
Where rockhounds find rusakovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Balasauskandyk vanadium deposit, northwest Kara-Tau Mountains, southern Kazakhstan
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In the oxidized zone of a vanadium-rich carbonaceous shale. If you start seeing apatite, collophane, ferric allophane in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: encrustations, reniform. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify rusakovite?+
Where is rusakovite found?+
Is rusakovite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like rusakovite?+
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Find rusakovite on the map
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