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, 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.
