Baotite is a rare barium-titanium silicate mineral typically found in highly evolved alkaline rocks. It is best identified by its distinct tetragonal tabular or prismatic habit and deep amber to brownish coloration within specialized geological environments.
Is this baotite?
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 baotite with a known reference. Baotite sits at Mohs 6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: nearly semimetallic to vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: light brown, black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: subhedral crystals.
Often confused with
Baotite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside baotite
Minerals reported to co-occur with baotite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ba₄Ti₇NbO₁₆(SiO₃)₄Cl
- Mohs hardness
- 6
- Density
- 4.42-4.71 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Nearly semimetallic to vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent to transparent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Subhedral crystals
- Cleavage
- Fair on {110}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- In quartz veins cutting quartzite near alkalic granite and syenite (Baiyun-Obo mine, China); in a carbonate vein cutting hornblende gneiss intruded by diabase sills and small pegmatites (Ravalli Co., Montana, USA)
Where rockhounds find baotite
Classic worldwide localities
- Sheep Creek, Ravalli Co., Montana, and at the Gem mine, San Benito Co., California, USA
- Baiyun-Obo mine, near Pao-t'ou, Inner Mongolia, China
- Karlstein and Jarolden, Waldviertel region, Austria
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In quartz veins cutting quartzite near alkalic granite and syenite (Baiyun-Obo mine, China); in a carbonate vein cutting hornblende gneiss intruded by diabase sills and small pegmatites (Ravalli Co., Montana, USA). If you start seeing quartz, calcite, aegirine in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: subhedral crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify baotite?+
Where is baotite found?+
What rocks look like baotite?+
What minerals are found with baotite?+
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What is baotite used for?+
Find baotite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
