Bavenite is a rare beryllium-bearing silicate often found as delicate, radiating clusters or fibrous mats in pegmatitic environments. It is most easily identified by its distinctive lath-like crystal habits and association with other beryllium minerals. Collectors primarily seek out well-defined, fan-shaped sprays found in pockets of granitic pegmatites.
Is this bavenite?
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 bavenite with a known reference. Bavenite sits at Mohs 5.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Bavenite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Bavenite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, yellowish, pinkish.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: acicular, fibrous, radiating lath-like crystals.
Often confused with
Bavenite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside bavenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bavenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₄Be₂Al₂Si₉O₂₆(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 2.71 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular, Fibrous, Radiating Lath-like Crystals
- Cleavage
- Good On {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $20-100 for small specimens
Where rockhounds find bavenite
Classic worldwide localities
- Baveno, Italy
- San Diego County, USA
- Madagascar
- Pakistan
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where bavenite typically forms. If you start seeing beryl, albite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular, fibrous, radiating lath-like crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find bavenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
