Tabbyite is a variety of bitumen or asphaltum found primarily in the Uinta Basin of Utah. It is a solid, brittle hydrocarbon that presents as a dark brown to black mass with a distinct resinous luster and often exhibits conchoidal fracture.
Is this tabbyite?
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 tabbyite with a known reference. Tabbyite sits at Mohs 2-3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Tabbyite leaves a brown streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Tabbyite typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Tabbyite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads resinous on Tabbyite and bright on Uintaite.
How to tell apart: Tabbyite is noticeably harder (Mohs 2-3 vs. 1); streak differs — Tabbyite leaves brown, Ozokerite leaves white to yellowish; luster reads resinous on Tabbyite and greasy on Ozokerite.
Often found alongside tabbyite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tabbyite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 1.05-1.15 g/cm³
- Streak
- Brown
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary
- Typical price
- $10-50 per specimen
Where rockhounds find tabbyite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Tabby Canyon, Utah, USA
- Uinta Basin, Utah, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary country — that is the host setting where tabbyite typically forms. If you start seeing sandstone, shale in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find tabbyite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
