Zangboite is an extremely rare iron titanium silicide mineral first discovered in the heavy mineral concentrates of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet. It typically occurs as small, metallic steel-gray grains within ophiolitic rock environments and is prized exclusively by high-end mineral collectors.
Is this zangboite?
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 zangboite with a known reference. Zangboite 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. Streak: black.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: steel gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: grains.
Often confused with
Zangboite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside zangboite
Minerals reported to co-occur with zangboite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- TiFeSi₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~5.5
- Density
- 5.09 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Grains
- Cleavage
- None discernable
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a heavy mineral separate from mining podiform chromitites hosted in harzburgite in an ophiolite complex
Where rockhounds find zangboite
Classic worldwide localities
- No. 31 orebody, group II in the Luobusha mining district, Qusum county, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, China
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a heavy mineral separate from mining podiform chromitites hosted in harzburgite in an ophiolite complex. If you start seeing native silicon in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify zangboite?+
Where is zangboite found?+
What rocks look like zangboite?+
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Find zangboite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
