Violarite crystallises in the isometric system, with a hardness of 4.5 to 5.5 and a specific gravity of about 4, is dark violet grey to copper-red, often with verdigris and patina from associated copper and arsenic sulfides, and is typically in amorphous to massive infill of lower saprolite ultramafic lithologies.
Violarite is reported widely from the oxidised regolith above primary nickel sulfide ore systems worldwide.
It is of particular note from the Mount Keith dunite body, Western Australia, where it forms an important ore mineral.
Violarite mineralisation requires different metallurgy to primary nickel sulfides, due to the different nature of its gangue and its flotation properties.
This may require additional treatment and processing, so in some cases low-grade violarite mineralisation is considered refractory ore.