Artinite typically forms beautiful, delicate, snow-white needle-like crystals that group into radiating tufts or fluffy spherical balls. It is most commonly found as a secondary mineral in cracks and cavities within serpentine rocks. Collectors prize it for its stark aesthetic contrast against dark green serpentinite host rock.
Is this artinite?
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 artinite with a known reference. Artinite 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. Artinite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Artinite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular crystals, radiated tufts, spherical aggregates.
Often confused with
Artinite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Hydromagnesite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5 vs. 2.5); luster reads vitreous on Artinite and pearly on Hydromagnesite.
How to tell apart: Aragonite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3.5-4 vs. 2.5).
How to tell apart: Mesolite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 2.5).
Often found alongside artinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with artinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₂(CO₃)(OH)₂·3H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 2.02 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular Crystals, Radiated Tufts, Spherical Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {010}
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Serpentinized Ultramafic Rocks
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find artinite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- San Benito County, California, USA
- Val Malenco, Italy
- Aosta Valley, Italy
- Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Look in serpentinized ultramafic rocks country — that is the host setting where artinite typically forms. If you start seeing serpentine, hydromagnesite, brucite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular crystals, radiated tufts, spherical aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New York — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find artinite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
