Tintinaite is a rare lead antimony sulfosalt that typically occurs as fine acicular or fibrous needle-like crystals. It is most commonly found in low-temperature hydrothermal veins and is highly prized by collectors of rare sulfosalts due to its complexity and limited distribution.
Is this tintinaite?
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 tintinaite with a known reference. Tintinaite sits at Mohs 3-3.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Tintinaite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Tintinaite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: lead-gray, steel-gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: acicular crystals, fibrous aggregates, massive.
Often confused with
Tintinaite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Tintinaite leaves black, Jamesonite leaves gray-black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Tintinaite leaves black, Bournonite leaves steel-gray.
How to tell apart: Tintinaite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 2); streak differs — Tintinaite leaves black, Stibnite leaves lead-gray.
Often found alongside tintinaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tintinaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₆Sb₈S₁₉
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 6.05 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular Crystals, Fibrous Aggregates, Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find tintinaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tintina, Yukon, Canada
- Wolfsberg, Harz Mountains, Germany
- Oruro, Bolivia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where tintinaite typically forms. If you start seeing galena, pyrite, siderite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular crystals, fibrous aggregates, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find tintinaite on the map
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