Stibarsen is a rare arsenic-antimony alloy that usually occurs as massive, botryoidal, or reniform aggregates with a metallic tin-white luster. It is typically found in hydrothermal veins associated with other arsenic minerals and is known historically by the name Allemontite. Collectors should exercise caution due to its significant arsenic content.
Is this stibarsen?
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 stibarsen with a known reference. Stibarsen sits at Mohs 3.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Stibarsen leaves a tin-white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Stibarsen typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: tin-white, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive, reniform, botryoidal.
Often confused with
Stibarsen vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Stibarsen leaves tin-white, Arsenic leaves black.
How to tell apart: Stibarsen is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2); streak differs — Stibarsen leaves tin-white, Stibnite leaves lead-gray.
How to tell apart: Stibarsen is noticeably harder (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs — Stibarsen leaves tin-white, Bismuth leaves silver-white.
Often found alongside stibarsen
Minerals reported to co-occur with stibarsen. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- AsSb
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 6.2 g/cm³
- Streak
- Tin-white
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Reniform, Botryoidal
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $20-150 thumbnail
Where rockhounds find stibarsen
Classic worldwide localities
- Allemont, France
- Pribram, Czech Republic
- Copiapó, Chile
- Boliden, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where stibarsen typically forms. If you start seeing arsenic, stibnite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, reniform, botryoidal habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find stibarsen on the map
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