Aksaite is a rare hydrated magnesium borate mineral typically found in evaporite deposits. It often forms thin, transparent, tabular crystals or radiating sprays that are highly prized by systematic mineral collectors.
Is this aksaite?
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 aksaite with a known reference. Aksaite sits at Mohs ~2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, gray, light gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Aksaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside aksaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with aksaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg[B₆O₇(OH)₆]·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2.5
- Density
- 2.066 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, radiating aggregates
- Cleavage
- Probable on {100} and {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In fine-grained halite in a salt dome
Where rockhounds find aksaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Chelkar salt dome, Ak-saı̆ Valley, Uralsk district, Kazakhstan
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In fine-grained halite in a salt dome. If you start seeing kieserite, anhydrite, preobrazhenskite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, radiating aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify aksaite?+
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What rocks look like aksaite?+
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Find aksaite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
