Cascandite is a rare scandium-bearing silicate typically found as pink, acicular to fibrous aggregates in miarolitic cavities of pegmatites. It is best known from its type locality in the Baveno granite of Italy, where it forms delicate sprays often associated with other rare minerals.
Is this cascandite?
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 cascandite with a known reference. Cascandite sits at Mohs 5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cascandite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cascandite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, reddish-pink.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: acicular crystals, fibrous aggregates.
Often confused with
Cascandite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside cascandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with cascandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaScSi₃O₈(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Density
- 2.98 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular Crystals, Fibrous Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $100-500 depending on specimen size and crystal quality
Where rockhounds find cascandite
Classic worldwide localities
- Baveno, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where cascandite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, albite, microcline in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a acicular crystals, fibrous aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find cascandite on the map
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