Tripuhyite is an uncommon iron-antimony oxide that typically occurs as a secondary mineral in oxidized zones of antimony-bearing ore deposits. It is most often found as earthy yellow masses or coatings associated with stibnite, making it a challenging mineral to identify without laboratory testing.
Is this tripuhyite?
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 tripuhyite with a known reference. Tripuhyite sits at Mohs 5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Tripuhyite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Tripuhyite typically shows a sub-adamantine luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, greenish yellow, brownish yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: massive, crusts, or earthy aggregates.
Often confused with
Tripuhyite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Tripuhyite leaves yellow, Stibiconite leaves white; luster reads sub-adamantine on Tripuhyite and dull on Stibiconite.
How to tell apart: Tripuhyite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 4-4.5); luster reads sub-adamantine on Tripuhyite and earthy on Bindheimite.
Often found alongside tripuhyite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tripuhyite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe³⁺Sb⁵⁺O₄
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 6.6-6.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Sub-adamantine
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Crusts, Or Earthy Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Distinct
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Antimony Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-150 thumbnail
Where rockhounds find tripuhyite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tripuhy, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Catorce, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
- Boron, California, USA
- Wolfsberg, Germany
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal antimony deposits country, the host setting where tripuhyite typically forms. If you start seeing stibnite, goethite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, crusts, or earthy aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify tripuhyite?+
Where is tripuhyite found?+
How much is tripuhyite worth?+
Is tripuhyite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like tripuhyite?+
What minerals are found with tripuhyite?+
What kind of rock does tripuhyite form in?+
What is tripuhyite used for?+
Find tripuhyite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
