Schultenite is a rare secondary lead arsenate mineral found almost exclusively in the oxidized zone of the Tsumeb mine in Namibia. It typically forms sharp, transparent, colorless to pale yellow monoclinic crystals that are highly sought after by advanced collectors for their clarity and adamantine luster.
Is this schultenite?
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 schultenite with a known reference. Schultenite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to nearly adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, pale yellow, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: striated, tabular.
Often confused with
Schultenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous to nearly adamantine on Schultenite and adamantine, resinous to vitreous on Anglesite.
How to tell apart: Mimetite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5); luster reads vitreous to nearly adamantine on Schultenite and resinous to subadamantine on Mimetite.
Often found alongside schultenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with schultenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbHAsO₄
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 5.943-6.07 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to nearly adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Striated, tabular
- Cleavage
- On {010}, good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of Pb–As-rich hydrothermal deposits
Where rockhounds find schultenite
Classic worldwide localities
- A ridge between Granite Lake and Gifford Lake, 13 km east of North Bend, King Co., Washington, USA
- Tsumeb, Namibia
- Deer Hills vein, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria, England
- Michael mine, Weiler, near Lahr, and on the Geiges mine dump, near Schramberg, Black Forest, Germany
- St. Andreasberg, Harz Mountains, Germany
- Ramsbeck, North Rhein-Westphalia, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of Pb–As-rich hydrothermal deposits. If you start seeing anglesite, bayldonite, cuprian adamite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: striated, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify schultenite?+
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Is schultenite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like schultenite?+
What minerals are found with schultenite?+
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Find schultenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
