Tinticite is a rare hydrated iron phosphate mineral typically found as earthy, botryoidal, or yellowish-white crusts. It is named after the Tintic mining district in Utah, where it occurs as a secondary mineral in oxidized zones of ore deposits.
Is this tinticite?
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 tinticite with a known reference. Tinticite sits at Mohs ~2.5, 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: dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, light brown, pale yellowish green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: cryptocrystalline, earthy, nodular.
Often confused with
Tinticite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Delvauxite is the harder of the two (Mohs ~3.5 vs. ~2.5); streak differs, so Tinticite leaves white, Delvauxite leaves pale brown; luster reads dull on Tinticite and waxy to opaline on Delvauxite.
How to tell apart: Variscite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4.5 vs. ~2.5); luster reads dull on Tinticite and vitreous to waxy on Variscite.
How to tell apart: Strengite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5 vs. ~2.5); luster reads dull on Tinticite and vitreous on Strengite.
Often found alongside tinticite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tinticite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₃·3H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2.5
- Density
- 2.8-2.94 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Cryptocrystalline, earthy, nodular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Formed by reaction between phosphatic solutions derived from bat guano and iron from oxidizing pyrite (East Tintic district, Utah, USA); formed by weathering rocks containing apatite and jarosite (Bruguers, Spain)
Where rockhounds find tinticite
Classic worldwide localities
- Found in a limestone cave near the Tintic Standard mine, near Dividend, East Tintic district, Utah Co., USA
- Gold Quarry mine, near Carlin, Maggie Creek district, Eureka Co., Nevada, USA
- Foote mine, near Kings Mountain, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA
- Bruguers, 15 km southwest of Barcelona, Barcelona Province, Spain
- Leveäniemi mine, Svappavaara, near Kiruna, Sweden
- Hagendorf, Bavaria, and in the Clara Mine, near Oberwolfach, Black Forest, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Formed by reaction between phosphatic solutions derived from bat guano and iron from oxidizing pyrite (East Tintic district, Utah, USA); formed by weathering rocks containing apatite and jarosite (Bruguers, Spain). If you start seeing jarosite, limonite, montgomeryite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: cryptocrystalline, earthy, nodular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find tinticite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
