Wiklundite is a rare lead-tungsten-arsenic mineral originally discovered in the Långban iron-manganese deposit in Sweden. It typically presents as small, brownish red to dark brown, resinous-lustered tabular crystals associated with other complex manganese and lead oxides.
Is this wiklundite?
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 wiklundite with a known reference. Wiklundite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale yellowish brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: resinous to submetallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brownish red, dark brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Wiklundite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Wiklundite leaves pale yellowish brown, Mimetite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Wiklundite leaves pale yellowish brown, Vanadinite leaves white to pale red or pale yellow; luster reads resinous to submetallic on Wiklundite and subresinous to subadamantine on Vanadinite.
Often found alongside wiklundite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wiklundite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₂(Mn²⁺,Zn)₃(Fe³⁺,Mn²⁺)₂(Mn²⁺,Mg)₁₉(As³⁺O₃)₂[(Si,As⁵⁺)O₄]₆(OH)₁₈Cl₆
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 4.072 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale yellowish brown
- Luster
- Resinous to submetallic
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a Fe-Mn-(Ba-As-Pb-Sb) deposit in dolomite-rich skarn, probably formed shortly after peak metamorphism at temperatures above 600° C and pressures < 3.5 kbars
Where rockhounds find wiklundite
Classic worldwide localities
- Långban, Filipstad, Värmland, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a Fe-Mn-(Ba-As-Pb-Sb) deposit in dolomite-rich skarn, probably formed shortly after peak metamorphism at temperatures above 600° C and pressures < 3.5 kbars. If you start seeing tephroite, mimetite, turneaureite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify wiklundite?+
Where is wiklundite found?+
Is wiklundite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like wiklundite?+
What minerals are found with wiklundite?+
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Find wiklundite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
