Sabelliite is a very rare copper zinc arsenate-antimonate primarily known from the Pollone mine in Italy. It typically occurs as minute, dark green, platy crystals or granular masses associated with baryte and other sulfides in hydrothermal veins.
Is this sabelliite?
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 sabelliite with a known reference. Sabelliite sits at Mohs ~4.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale green.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: emerald green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: crystalline, cylindrical, tabular.
Often confused with
Sabelliite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Sabelliite leaves pale green, Tennantite leaves reddish gray; luster reads adamantine on Sabelliite and metallic on Tennantite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Sabelliite leaves pale green, Tetrahedrite leaves black to brown; luster reads adamantine on Sabelliite and metallic, commonly splendent on Tetrahedrite.
Often found alongside sabelliite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sabelliite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu₂ZnAsO₄(OH)₃
- Mohs hardness
- ~4.5
- Density
- 4.65 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale green
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Crystalline, cylindrical, tabular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare mineral in the oxidized zone of a hydrothermal copper deposit, formed by weathering of sulfides and sulfosalts
Where rockhounds find sabelliite
Classic worldwide localities
- Is Murvonis mine, Domusnovas, Iglesias district, Sardinia, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare mineral in the oxidized zone of a hydrothermal copper deposit, formed by weathering of sulfides and sulfosalts. If you start seeing theisite, malachite, azurite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: crystalline, cylindrical, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify sabelliite?+
Where is sabelliite found?+
Is sabelliite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like sabelliite?+
What minerals are found with sabelliite?+
What kind of rock does sabelliite form in?+
What is sabelliite used for?+
Find sabelliite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
