Clerite is a rare manganese antimony sulfosalt that forms black irregular equant grains. It occurs in a hydrothermal gold deposit in limestone. It was first described from Vorontsovskoye gold deposit, Serov district, Northern Ural Mountains, Russia.
Is this clerite?
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 clerite with a known reference. Clerite sits at Mohs 3-3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Clerite leaves a black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Clerite typically shows a submetallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: irregular equant grains.
Often confused with
Clerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Clerite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 1.5-2); streak differs, so Clerite leaves black, Sylvanite leaves gray; luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic on Sylvanite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Clerite leaves black, Petzite leaves iron-black; luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic on Petzite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads submetallic on Clerite and metallic on Hessite.
Often found alongside clerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with clerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MnSb₂S₄
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 4.48 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Black
- Luster
- Submetallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Irregular Equant Grains
- Cleavage
- None Observed
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Epithermal Gold-telluride Veins
Where rockhounds find clerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Vorontsovskoye gold deposit, Northern Ural Mountains, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Look in epithermal gold-telluride veins country, the host setting where clerite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, pyrite, gold in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a irregular equant grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify clerite?+
Where is clerite found?+
Is clerite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like clerite?+
What minerals are found with clerite?+
What kind of rock does clerite form in?+
What is clerite used for?+
Find clerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
