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 — that is 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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