Schröckingerite is a rare secondary uranium mineral often found as bright yellow, platy or rosette-like aggregates. It is highly prized by collectors for its brilliant yellow-green fluorescence under ultraviolet light. It typically occurs as an efflorescence in oxidized zones of uranium deposits.

Hardness

2.5

Mohs

Luster

Pearly

Streak

Pale Yellow

Transparency

Translucent

mineraluncommon

Schröckingerite

Hardness: 2.5
Luster: Pearly
Streak: Pale Yellow
Transparency: Translucent

Is this schröckingerite?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch schröckingerite with a known reference. Schröckingerite sits at Mohs 2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Schröckingerite leaves a pale yellow streak.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Schröckingerite typically shows a pearly luster.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: yellow, greenish yellow.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, rosettes, globular aggregates, crusts.

Often confused with

Schröckingerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Schröckingerite leaves pale yellow, Uranocircite leaves yellow.

Compare →

Often found alongside schröckingerite

Minerals reported to co-occur with schröckingerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: NaCa₃(UO₂)(CO₃)₃(SO₄)F·10H₂O
Mohs hardness: 2.5
Density: 2.5 g/cm³
Colors: Yellow Greenish Yellow
Streak: Pale Yellow
Luster: Pearly
Transparency: Translucent
Crystal system: Triclinic
Crystal habit: Platy Crystals, Rosettes, Globular Aggregates, Crusts
Cleavage: Perfect Basal
Fluorescence: Bright Yellowish-green Under UV Light
Rarity: Uncommon
Uses: Collector, Scientific Research
Host rock: Oxidized Uranium Deposits, Hydrothermal Veins
Typical price: $20-150 for thumbnail to small cabinet specimens

Where rockhounds find schröckingerite

Classic worldwide localities

Jachymov, Czech Republic
Wamsutter, Wyoming, USA
Marysvale, Utah, USA
Schneeberg, Germany

Field-hunting tip

Look in oxidized uranium deposits, hydrothermal veins country, the host setting where schröckingerite typically forms. If you start seeing uraninite, gypsum, liebigite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, rosettes, globular aggregates, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify schröckingerite?+

Mohs hardness is 2.5. It typically shows a pearly luster. The streak is pale yellow. Common colors include yellow, greenish yellow.

Where is schröckingerite found?+

Notable localities include Jachymov, Czech Republic; Wamsutter, Wyoming, USA; Marysvale, Utah, USA; Schneeberg, Germany.

How much is schröckingerite worth?+

Typical asking prices fall in the range of $20-150 for thumbnail to small cabinet specimens. Quality, size, and provenance can move individual specimens well outside that range.

Is schröckingerite safe to handle?+

This mineral is radioactive. This mineral is radioactive. Handle with care, wash hands thoroughly after contact, store in a sealed lead-lined or dense plastic container, and avoid inhalation of dust. Handle with care, avoid grinding or breathing dust, and store separately.

What rocks look like schröckingerite?+

Schröckingerite is most often confused with Autunite, Uranocircite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with schröckingerite?+

Schröckingerite commonly co-occurs with Uraninite, Gypsum, Liebigite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does schröckingerite form in?+

Schröckingerite typically forms in oxidized uranium deposits, hydrothermal veins. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is schröckingerite used for?+

Schröckingerite is used in collector, scientific research.

Find schröckingerite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.