Seligmannite is a rare lead copper sulfosalt often occurring in complex, dark, metallic crystals. It is most famous for its association with the Binnental mineral locality in Switzerland, where it is found in dolomite cavities.
Is this seligmannite?
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 seligmannite with a known reference. Seligmannite sits at Mohs 2.5-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: chocolate-brown to purple-black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: lead gray, dark lead gray, black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: crystalline, twinning common.
Often confused with
Seligmannite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Seligmannite leaves chocolate-brown to purple-black, Bournonite leaves steel-gray to iron-black; luster reads metallic on Seligmannite and brilliant to dull on Bournonite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Seligmannite leaves chocolate-brown to purple-black, Tennantite leaves reddish gray.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Seligmannite leaves chocolate-brown to purple-black, Tetrahedrite leaves black to brown.
Often found alongside seligmannite
Minerals reported to co-occur with seligmannite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- PbCuAsS₃
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 5.38 g/cm³
- Streak
- Chocolate-brown to purple-black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Crystalline, twinning common
- Cleavage
- Very poor on {001}, {100}, and {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In cavities in dolostone (Binntal, Switzerland)
Where rockhounds find seligmannite
Classic worldwide localities
- Bingham, Tooele Co., Utah, USA
- Butte, Silver Bow Co., Montana, USA
- Balmat-Edwards mine, Balmat, St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA
- Lengenbach quarry, Binntal, Valais, Switzerland (type locality)
- Mooseck, near Golling, Salzburg, Austria
- Sulitjelma and in the Bleikvassli Zn–Pb–Cu deposit, northern Norway
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In cavities in dolostone (Binntal, Switzerland). If you start seeing tennantite, sphalerite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: crystalline, twinning common. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find seligmannite on the map
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