Wurtzite is a hexagonal polymorph of zinc sulfide, often found in low-temperature hydrothermal veins. It typically displays brownish, resinous pyramidal crystals or fibrous crusts that can be easily mistaken for its common cousin, sphalerite.
Is this wurtzite?
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 wurtzite with a known reference. Wurtzite sits at Mohs 3.5-4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Wurtzite leaves a brownish-yellow to light brown streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Wurtzite typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: pyramidal crystals, fibrous, massive, or crusts.
Often confused with
Wurtzite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Wurtzite leaves brownish-yellow to light brown, Sphalerite leaves white to yellow-brown; luster reads resinous on Wurtzite and resinous to submetallic on Sphalerite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Wurtzite leaves brownish-yellow to light brown, Greenockite leaves brick-red to orange-yellow; luster reads resinous on Wurtzite and adamantine to resinous on Greenockite.
Often found alongside wurtzite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wurtzite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- ZnS
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5-4
- Density
- 3.98-4.08 g/cm³
- Streak
- Brownish-yellow to Light Brown
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Pyramidal Crystals, Fibrous, Massive, Or Crusts
- Cleavage
- Distinct On {1120}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Low-temperature Ore Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 for thumbnail to small cabinet specimens
Where rockhounds find wurtzite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Príbram, Czech Republic
- Oruro, Bolivia
- Bingham, New Mexico, USA
- Tsumeb, Namibia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, low-temperature ore deposits country — that is the host setting where wurtzite typically forms. If you start seeing sphalerite, galena, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a pyramidal crystals, fibrous, massive, or crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Pennsylvania — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find wurtzite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
