Tellurite is a rare secondary mineral formed in the oxidized zones of tellurium-rich ore deposits. Collectors typically look for its distinct acicular or radiating crystal clusters that exhibit an adamantine luster, most notably coming from the Moctezuma mine in Mexico.
Is this tellurite?
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 tellurite with a known reference. Tellurite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: subadamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, yellow orange, straw yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: acicular, prismatic.
Often confused with
Tellurite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside tellurite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tellurite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- TeO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 5.90 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Subadamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular, prismatic
- Cleavage
- {100}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Reference material
- Host rock
- An alteration product of tellurium and tellurides in the oxide zone of some hydrothermal mineral deposits
Where rockhounds find tellurite
Classic worldwide localities
- Cripple Creek, Teller Co., in the Good Hope mine, Gunnison Co., and the Keystone, Smuggler, and John Jay mines, Central district, Boulder Co., Colorado, USA
- Goldfield-Belmont, Clermont, and Mohawk mines, Goldfield district, Esmeralda Co., Nevada, USA
- Transylvania, from Faţa Bǎii (Faczebaja), Zalatna, and Săcărı̂mb (Nagyág), Romania
- Zavodinskii mine, near Ziryanovskii, Altai Mountains, Kazakhstan
- Teine mine, northwest of Sapporo, Hokkaido, and the Kawazu and Susaki mines, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Moctezuma (Bambolla) mine, 12 km south of Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An alteration product of tellurium and tellurides in the oxide zone of some hydrothermal mineral deposits. If you start seeing tellurium, tetradymite, nagyagite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular, prismatic. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify tellurite?+
Where is tellurite found?+
Is tellurite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like tellurite?+
What minerals are found with tellurite?+
What kind of rock does tellurite form in?+
What is tellurite used for?+
Find tellurite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
