Shandite is a rare nickel-lead sulfide mineral that typically presents as bronze or brassy metallic grains. It is primarily found in hydrothermal deposits, often associated with other base metal sulfides in specialized geological settings.
Is this shandite?
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 shandite with a known reference. Shandite sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brass yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: inclusions.
Often confused with
Shandite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Shandite leaves black, Pentlandite leaves pale bronze-brown.
How to tell apart: Shandite is noticeably harder (Mohs 4 vs. 2.5-2.75); streak differs, so Shandite leaves black, Galena leaves lead-gray.
Often found alongside shandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with shandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₂Ni₃S₂
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 8.72 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Inclusions
- Cleavage
- Rhombohedral
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In serpentine (Trial Harbour, Australia and Isua Belt, Greenland); in segregations in an iron-rich lens in basalt (Kitdlı̂t, Greenland)
Where rockhounds find shandite
Classic worldwide localities
- Trial Harbour, Tasmania (type locality), and at Nullagine, Western Australia
- Kitdlı̂t, Disko Island, and in the Isua Belt, about 150 km northeast of Godthåb, western Greenland
- Jeffrey mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada
- Itoigawa district, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In serpentine (Trial Harbour, Australia and Isua Belt, Greenland); in segregations in an iron-rich lens in basalt (Kitdlı̂t, Greenland). If you start seeing heazlewoodite, pentlandite, sphalerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: inclusions. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify shandite?+
Where is shandite found?+
Is shandite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like shandite?+
What minerals are found with shandite?+
What kind of rock does shandite form in?+
What is shandite used for?+
Find shandite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
