Skippenite is a rare bismuth selenide telluride that typically occurs as metallic, lead-gray foliated or platy masses. It is primarily found in hydrothermal vein systems and is often associated with native gold and other telluride minerals. Due to its extreme rarity and soft nature, it is highly prized by advanced mineral collectors specializing in bismuth species.
Is this skippenite?
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 skippenite with a known reference. Skippenite 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: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: steel gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Skippenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside skippenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with skippenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Bi₂Se₂Te
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 7.94 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {0001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a vein-type uranium deposit with other tellurides and selenides
Where rockhounds find skippenite
Classic worldwide localities
- Otish Mountains uranium deposit, Quebec, Canada (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a vein-type uranium deposit with other tellurides and selenides. If you start seeing watkinsonite, součekite, clausthalite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify skippenite?+
Where is skippenite found?+
Is skippenite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like skippenite?+
What minerals are found with skippenite?+
What kind of rock does skippenite form in?+
What is skippenite used for?+
Find skippenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
