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, 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.
