Leadamalgam is a rare mercury lead mineral, typically silver-white. It occurs in a mercury deposit. It was first described from Shiaonanshan, Inner Mongolia, China.
Is this leadamalgam?
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 leadamalgam with a known reference. Leadamalgam sits at Mohs 1.6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Leadamalgam leaves a silver-white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Leadamalgam typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: silver-white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, or small grains.
Often confused with
Leadamalgam vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Silver is the harder of the two (Mohs 2.5-3 vs. 1.6).
How to tell apart: Stibiopalladinite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4-5 vs. 1.6); streak differs, so Leadamalgam leaves silver-white, Stibiopalladinite leaves black.
Often found alongside leadamalgam
Minerals reported to co-occur with leadamalgam. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- HgPb₂
- Mohs hardness
- 1.6
- Density
- 11.96 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Silver-white
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Or Small Grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Alluvial Deposits
Where rockhounds find leadamalgam
Classic worldwide localities
- Shiaonanshan, Inner Mongolia, China
Field-hunting tip
Look in alluvial deposits country, the host setting where leadamalgam typically forms. If you start seeing gold, hematite, diamond in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, or small grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find leadamalgam on the map
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