Native vanadium is an extremely rare metallic mineral that almost exclusively occurs as microscopic grains embedded within igneous rocks. Due to its high reactivity with oxygen, authentic native vanadium is rarely found in its pure state and is primarily of interest to advanced mineral collectors or metallurgical researchers.

Hardness

Mohs

Luster

Metallic

Transparency

Opaque

mineralrare

Vanadium

Hardness: 7
Luster: Metallic
Transparency: Opaque

Is this vanadium?

4-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch vanadium with a known reference. Vanadium sits at Mohs 7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
3
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: steel-gray.
4
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: cubic. Typical habit: massive.

Often confused with

Vanadium vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Native Iron

Mohs 4

How to tell apart: Vanadium is noticeably harder (Mohs 7 vs. 4).

How to tell apart: Vanadium is noticeably harder (Mohs 7 vs. 2.5-3).

Compare →

Often found alongside vanadium

Minerals reported to co-occur with vanadium. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: V
Mohs hardness: 7
Density: 6.033 g/cm³
Colors: Steel-gray
Luster: Metallic
Transparency: Opaque
Crystal system: Cubic
Crystal habit: Massive
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Industrial, Collector
Host rock: In sublimates from high-temperature (550-680° C) volcanic gases at active fumaroles

Where rockhounds find vanadium

2 mapped spots

Classic worldwide localities

Tungsten Hills, California, USA
Kola Peninsula, Russia

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: In sublimates from high-temperature (550-680° C) volcanic gases at active fumaroles. If you start seeing colimaite, shcherbinaite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Nevada, Utah. Start trip planning there.

Browse 2 U.S. spots for vanadium →

Common questions

How do you identify vanadium?+

Mohs hardness is 7. Luster: metallic. Common colors include steel-gray.

Where is vanadium found?+

Notable localities include Tungsten Hills, California, USA; Kola Peninsula, Russia.

Can I find vanadium in the United States?+

RockHoundR maps 2 vanadium rockhounding spots across 2 U.S. states. The top states are Nevada, Utah.

Is vanadium safe to handle?+

Vanadium contains vanadium. Wash your hands afterwards, never grind or breathe the dust, and store it apart from specimens you handle often.

What rocks look like vanadium?+

Vanadium is most often confused with Native Iron, Native Copper. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with vanadium?+

Vanadium commonly co-occurs with Colimaite, Shcherbinaite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does vanadium form in?+

Where it forms: In sublimates from high-temperature (550-680° C) volcanic gases at active fumaroles. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is vanadium used for?+

Vanadium is used in industrial, collector.

Find vanadium on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.