Tellurantimony is a rare telluride mineral often found in hydrothermal metallic deposits. It is best identified by its metallic luster and perfect cleavage, though it is usually only identifiable through laboratory analysis due to its visual similarity to other bismuth and antimony tellurides.
Is this tellurantimony?
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 tellurantimony with a known reference. Tellurantimony sits at Mohs 2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Tellurantimony leaves a grayish-black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Tellurantimony typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: tin-white, silver-gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: lamellar or massive.
Often confused with
Tellurantimony vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside tellurantimony
Minerals reported to co-occur with tellurantimony. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Sb₂Te₃
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 6.5-6.6 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Grayish-black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Lamellar or Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect Basal
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per small specimen
Where rockhounds find tellurantimony
Classic worldwide localities
- Srednogorie Zone, Bulgaria
- Taimyr Peninsula, Russia
- Broken Hill, Australia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where tellurantimony typically forms. If you start seeing tellurobismuthite, tetradymite, gold in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a lamellar or massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find tellurantimony on the map
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