Behoite is a rare beryllium hydroxide mineral typically found as small, bladed crystals in complex granite pegmatites. It is often discovered as an alteration product of beryl or bertrandite in hydrothermal environments, requiring microscopic analysis for positive identification.
Is this behoite?
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 behoite with a known reference. Behoite sits at Mohs ~4, 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: vitreous; greasy to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, pale brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: bladed orthorhombic crystals.
Often confused with
Behoite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside behoite
Minerals reported to co-occur with behoite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Be(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 1.92 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous; greasy to dull
- Transparency
- Translucent to opaque, rarely transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Bladed orthorhombic crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In granite pegmatite as a near-surface alteration product of gadolinite (Rode Ranch pegmatite, Texas, USA); in altered volcanic tuff (Honeycomb Hills, Utah, USA)
Where rockhounds find behoite
Classic worldwide localities
- Rode Ranch pegmatite, Llano Co., and the Clear Creek pegmatite, Burnet Co., Texas, and in the Honeycomb Hills, Juab Co., Utah, USA
- Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
- Saga larvikite quarry, Tvedalen, near Larvik, Norway
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In granite pegmatite as a near-surface alteration product of gadolinite (Rode Ranch pegmatite, Texas, USA); in altered volcanic tuff (Honeycomb Hills, Utah, USA). If you start seeing gadolinite, bastnäsite, tengerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: bladed orthorhombic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify behoite?+
Where is behoite found?+
Is behoite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like behoite?+
What minerals are found with behoite?+
What kind of rock does behoite form in?+
What is behoite used for?+
Find behoite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
