Wickmanite is a rare manganese tin hydroxide mineral that typically forms distinct, transparent to translucent octahedral crystals. It is primarily sought by advanced mineral collectors and is most famously associated with the unique manganese-rich ore deposits of Långban, Sweden.
Is this wickmanite?
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 wickmanite with a known reference. Wickmanite sits at Mohs 3.5, 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: resinous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, orange brown, yellow orange, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: octahedral crystals.
Often confused with
Wickmanite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Stottite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4.5 vs. 3.5); streak differs, so Wickmanite leaves white, Stottite leaves grayish white.
How to tell apart: Varlamoffite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 3.5); streak differs, so Wickmanite leaves white, Varlamoffite leaves light yellow; luster reads resinous on Wickmanite and waxy on Varlamoffite.
Often found alongside wickmanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wickmanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnSn(OH)₆
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 3.89 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Octahedral crystals
- Cleavage
- Good on {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare late-stage, low-temperature mineral in magnetite ore and jacobsite-richterite-manganoan biotite skarn in a metamorphosed Fe–Mn orebody (Långban, Sweden); in a nepheline syenite pegmatite (Tvedalen, Norway)
Where rockhounds find wickmanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Värmland, Sweden
- Heia quarry, Tvedalen, near Larvik, Norway
- Pitkäranta district, Lake Ladoga, Karelia, Russia
- Whealcock Zawn, Botallack, Cornwall, England
- West bank of the Beht River, El Hamman, central Morocco
- Tsumeb, Namibia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare late-stage, low-temperature mineral in magnetite ore and jacobsite-richterite-manganoan biotite skarn in a metamorphosed Fe–Mn orebody (Långban, Sweden); in a nepheline syenite pegmatite (Tvedalen, Norway). If you start seeing bementite, allactite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: octahedral crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find wickmanite on the map
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