Native selenium is a rare elemental mineral often found as needle-like crystals or powdery encrustations in hydrothermal deposits. It is known for its distinct metallic grey to reddish-grey appearance and is chemically sensitive, requiring careful storage to prevent degradation.
Is this selenium?
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 selenium with a known reference. Selenium sits at Mohs 2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Selenium leaves a red streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Selenium typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray, red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: acicular crystals, encrustations, massive.
Often confused with
Selenium vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside selenium
Minerals reported to co-occur with selenium. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Se
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 4.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- Red
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Acicular Crystals, Encrustations, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Industrial
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Volcanic Fumaroles
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on specimen quality and size
Where rockhounds find selenium
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Sierra de Cuchillo, Mexico
- Los Lamentos, Mexico
- Gladhammar, Sweden
- Taiyodo mine, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, volcanic fumaroles country — that is the host setting where selenium typically forms. If you start seeing cinnabar, clausthalite, umannite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular crystals, encrustations, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find selenium on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
