Hausmannite

Hausmannite

By Tim Matthews, JD, FGA, GG, DGA,
CEO and President of JTV (retired)
Published: June 2014
Modified: November 2021
Hausmannite Rough

Hausmannite is a brown to black mineral that is part of the spinel group. It was named after Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann who was a professor of mineralogy at the University of Göttingen in Germany. Some of the finest samples come from Namibia and South Africa.

General Information

Common Name
Hausmannite
Species
Hausmannite
Transparency
Opaque
Refractive Index
2.152-2.462
Birefringence
0.310
Pleochroism
Dichroic, Weak light gray and dark gray
Hardness
5.5
Streak
brown to reddish
Luster
Metallic, Resinous, Dull, Submetallic
Stability
Brittle
Fracture
Irregular, uneven
Cleavage
Complete, good
Chemical Name
manganese oxide
Chemical Formula
Mn2+Mn3+O4
Crystal System
Tetragonal
Chemistry Classification
Oxide

Hausmannite Colors

  • Black Hausmannite
    Black
  • Brown Hausmannite
    Brown

Countries of Origin

Russian Federation; Viet Nam; United States of America; Egypt; Kazakhstan; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Oman; Bosnia And Herzegovina; Greece; Austria; Sweden; Morocco; Unknown; China; Brazil; Algeria; Slovakia; Bulgaria; Chile; France; Nigeria; Argentina; Romania; Japan; United Arab Emirates; Switzerland; Bolivia (Plurinational State of); India; Spain; Canada; Burkina Faso; Mauritania; Turkey; Belgium; Norway; Namibia; Italy; Mexico; South Africa; Australia; Jamaica; Germany; Indonesia

Care

Take care with handling as specimens can be brittle. It is soluble in HCL.