Antipinite is a rare copper sulfate mineral discovered in the fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano. It typically forms small, vibrant blue tabular crystals or crusts in high-temperature volcanic environments.
Is this antipinite?
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 antipinite with a known reference. Antipinite sits at Mohs ~2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: pale blue, almost white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts, aggregates.
Often confused with
Antipinite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Antipinite leaves pale blue, almost white, Chalcanthite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Euchroite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. ~2); streak differs, so Antipinite leaves pale blue, almost white, Euchroite leaves green.
Often found alongside antipinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with antipinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KNa₃Cu₂((C₂)O₄)₄
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 2.53 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale blue, almost white
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals, crusts, aggregates
- Cleavage
- Medium in three directions (not determined)
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a guano deposit, as a secondary mineral with guano as the source of oxalate groups and oxidized chalcopyrite, from underlying gabbro, as the source of Cu
Where rockhounds find antipinite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a guano deposit, as a secondary mineral with guano as the source of oxalate groups and oxidized chalcopyrite, from underlying gabbro, as the source of Cu. If you start seeing halite, salammoniac, chanabayaite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts, aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find antipinite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
