Sicherite is a very rare silver thallium arsenic sulfosalt discovered in the famous Lengenbach Quarry in Switzerland. It typically occurs as minute, dark grey metallic grains embedded within dolomitic marble and is primarily of interest to advanced micromounters and mineral collectors.
Is this sicherite?
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 sicherite with a known reference. Sicherite 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. Sicherite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Sicherite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark gray, lead gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: anhedral grains.
Often confused with
Sicherite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Sicherite leaves black, Sartorite leaves chocolate-brown.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Sicherite leaves black, Smithite leaves orange-red; luster reads metallic on Sicherite and adamantine on Smithite.
Often found alongside sicherite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sicherite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ag₃TlAs₂S₅
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 4.67 g/cm³
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral Grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Dolomitic Marble
- Typical price
- $100-500+ per specimen depending on size and associated minerals.
Where rockhounds find sicherite
Classic worldwide localities
- Lengenbach Quarry, Binn Valley, Switzerland
Field-hunting tip
Look in dolomitic marble country — that is the host setting where sicherite typically forms. If you start seeing sartorite, gratonite, realgar in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a anhedral grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify sicherite?+
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How much is sicherite worth?+
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Find sicherite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
