Bottinoite is a rare hydrated nickel-antimony hydroxide mineral that forms small, glassy, colorless to white rhombohedral crystals. It is primarily known from the Bottino mine in Italy, where it typically occurs as a secondary mineral within stibnite-bearing hydrothermal veins.
Is this bottinoite?
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 bottinoite with a known reference. Bottinoite 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. Bottinoite leaves a very pale blue streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Bottinoite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pale blue, blue-green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: rhombohedral crystals.
Often confused with
Bottinoite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Brandtite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3-4 vs. 2); streak differs, so Bottinoite leaves very pale blue, Brandtite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Bottinoite leaves very pale blue, Senarmontite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Bottinoite and resinous to subadamantine on Senarmontite.
Often found alongside bottinoite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bottinoite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NiSb(OH)₆
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 2.81 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Very Pale Blue
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Rhombohedral Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins
Where rockhounds find bottinoite
Classic worldwide localities
- Bottino Mine, Tuscany, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins country, the host setting where bottinoite typically forms. If you start seeing stibnite, berthierite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a rhombohedral crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify bottinoite?+
Where is bottinoite found?+
Is bottinoite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like bottinoite?+
What minerals are found with bottinoite?+
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Find bottinoite on the map
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