Babkinite is an extremely rare lead-bismuth sulfoselenide-telluride mineral known primarily from epithermal gold-telluride deposits. It is usually found as microscopic inclusions or intergrowths with other lead minerals and tellurides, making it difficult for collectors to acquire as a macro specimen.
Is this babkinite?
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 babkinite with a known reference. Babkinite sits at Mohs ~2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silvery gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: aggregates, platy.
Often confused with
Babkinite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside babkinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with babkinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₂Bi₂(S,Se)₃
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 8.09 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Gray
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, platy
- Cleavage
- Perfect, on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a hydrothermal deposit in sediments, near their contact with a granite intrusion
Where rockhounds find babkinite
Classic worldwide localities
- Nevskoye W–Sn deposit, 25 km northwest of Omsukchan, Magadan region, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a hydrothermal deposit in sediments, near their contact with a granite intrusion. If you start seeing arsenopyrite, stannite, tetrahedrite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, platy. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify babkinite?+
Where is babkinite found?+
Is babkinite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like babkinite?+
What minerals are found with babkinite?+
What kind of rock does babkinite form in?+
What is babkinite used for?+
Find babkinite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
