Sampleite is a rare copper-calcium phosphate mineral known for its distinctive bright blue to greenish-blue color. It typically forms delicate, platy crystals or rosettes found within the oxidized zones of copper-rich hydrothermal deposits.
Is this sampleite?
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 sampleite with a known reference. Sampleite sits at Mohs 3.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Sampleite leaves a pale blue streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Sampleite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, greenish-blue, pale blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: platy crystals, rosettes, crusts.
Often confused with
Sampleite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Turquoise is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 3.5); streak differs — Sampleite leaves pale blue, Turquoise leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Sampleite and waxy on Turquoise.
How to tell apart: Sampleite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 1.5-2); streak differs — Sampleite leaves pale blue, Vivianite leaves white to light blue.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Sampleite leaves pale blue, Vauxite leaves white.
Often found alongside sampleite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sampleite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaCaCu₅(PO₄)₄Cl·5H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 3.2 g/cm³
- Streak
- Pale Blue
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Rosettes, Crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Copper Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on specimen quality and locality
Where rockhounds find sampleite
Classic worldwide localities
- Chuquicamata, Chile
- Tsumeb, Namibia
- Milpillas mine, Mexico
- Bisbee, Arizona, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of copper ore deposits country — that is the host setting where sampleite typically forms. If you start seeing atacamite, chrysocolla, malachite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, rosettes, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find sampleite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
