Armenite is a rare barium-calcium cyclosilicate that typically occurs as pseudo-hexagonal prismatic crystals. It is primarily sought by advanced collectors for its complex twinning patterns and rarity in hydrothermal environments.
Is this armenite?
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 armenite with a known reference. Armenite sits at Mohs 6.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Armenite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Armenite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, light green, yellowish green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, often forming pseudo-hexagonal cyclic twins.
Often confused with
Armenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside armenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with armenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BaCa₂Al₆Si₉O₃₀·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5
- Density
- 2.75-2.77 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Often Forming Pseudo-hexagonal Cyclic Twins
- Cleavage
- Distinct On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins and Skarn Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find armenite
Classic worldwide localities
- Arm Mine, Norway
- Mount St. Hilaire, Canada
- Broken Hill, Australia
- Khibiny Massif, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins and skarn deposits country, the host setting where armenite typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, quartz, axinite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, often forming pseudo-hexagonal cyclic twins habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find armenite on the map
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