Cafetite is an extremely rare calcium-magnesium-titanium oxide mineral typically found in late-stage hydrothermal cavities within alkaline igneous rocks. It usually forms as tiny, delicate, yellow or colorless acicular needles or prismatic crystals that are highly sought after by mineral micromounters.

Hardness

4-5

Mohs

Luster

Adamantine

Streak

White

Transparency

Semitransparent

mineralrare

Cafetite

Hardness: 4-5
Luster: Adamantine
Streak: White
Transparency: Semitransparent

Is this cafetite?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch cafetite with a known reference. Cafetite sits at Mohs 4-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: adamantine.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: colorless, pale yellow.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: acicular, aggregates, radial.

Often confused with

Cafetite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

How to tell apart: Luster reads adamantine on Cafetite and metallic adamantine to submetallic on Brookite.

Often found alongside cafetite

Minerals reported to co-occur with cafetite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: CaTi₂O₅·H₂O
Mohs hardness: 4-5
Density: 3.28 g/cm³
Colors: Colorless Pale yellow
Streak: White
Luster: Adamantine
Transparency: Semitransparent
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Crystal habit: Acicular, aggregates, radial
Cleavage: In two directions, prismatic
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Collector
Host rock: A late mineral in miarolitic cavities in pegmatites cutting a pyroxenite massif

Where rockhounds find cafetite

Classic worldwide localities

Afrikanda pyroxenite massif (type locality), and at Kukisvumchorr and Rasvumchorr mountains, Khibiny, Kola Peninsula, Russia

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: A late mineral in miarolitic cavities in pegmatites cutting a pyroxenite massif. If you start seeing ilmenite, titanomagnetite, titanite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular, aggregates, radial. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify cafetite?+

Mohs hardness is 4-5. Luster: adamantine. The streak is white. Common colors include colorless, pale yellow.

Where is cafetite found?+

Notable localities include Afrikanda pyroxenite massif (type locality), and at Kukisvumchorr and Rasvumchorr mountains, Khibiny, Kola Peninsula, Russia.

What rocks look like cafetite?+

Cafetite is most often confused with Anatase, Brookite, Perovskite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with cafetite?+

Cafetite commonly co-occurs with Ilmenite, Titanomagnetite, Titanite, Anatase, Perovskite, Baddeleyite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does cafetite form in?+

Where it forms: A late mineral in miarolitic cavities in pegmatites cutting a pyroxenite massif. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is cafetite used for?+

Cafetite is used in collector.

Find cafetite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.