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, so Tintinaite leaves black, Jamesonite leaves gray-black.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Tintinaite leaves black, Bournonite leaves steel-gray.
How to tell apart: Tintinaite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 2); streak differs, so 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, 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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