Ellisite is an extremely rare thallium arsenic sulfosalt found primarily in the Jas Roux deposit in France. It typically occurs as small, pale metallic grains associated with other thallium minerals and realgar in hydrothermal veins.
Is this ellisite?
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 ellisite with a known reference. Ellisite sits at Mohs 1.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Ellisite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Ellisite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: grains.
Often confused with
Ellisite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Ellisite leaves white, Lorandite leaves cherry-red.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Ellisite leaves white, Hutchinsonite leaves red; luster reads metallic on Ellisite and adamantine on Hutchinsonite.
Often found alongside ellisite
Minerals reported to co-occur with ellisite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Tl₃AsS₃
- Mohs hardness
- 1.5
- Density
- 4.82 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $100-500 thumbnail
Where rockhounds find ellisite
Classic worldwide localities
- Jas Roux, Hautes-Alpes, France
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where ellisite typically forms. If you start seeing realgar, orpiment, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find ellisite on the map
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