Suessite is a very rare iron silicide mineral found primarily as a component within iron-nickel meteorites. It typically occurs as small inclusions or interstitial grains and is almost exclusively encountered by meteorite researchers and advanced institutional collectors.
Is this suessite?
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 suessite with a known reference. Suessite sits at Mohs 5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Suessite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Suessite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silver-white, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: irregular grains.
Often confused with
Suessite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside suessite
Minerals reported to co-occur with suessite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₃Si
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Density
- 6.6 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Irregular Grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Scientific Study, Collector
- Host rock
- Iron-nickel Meteorites
- Typical price
- n/a
Where rockhounds find suessite
Classic worldwide localities
- Northwest Africa 1054 meteorite
- Indarch meteorite (Azerbaijan)
Field-hunting tip
Look in iron-nickel meteorites country — that is the host setting where suessite typically forms. If you start seeing kamacite, taenite, troilite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a irregular grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find suessite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
