Clinometaborite is a rare calcium borate mineral known primarily from skarn environments in Japan. It typically occurs as small, clear, tabular monoclinic crystals associated with other calcium-rich minerals in limestone contact zones.
Is this clinometaborite?
4-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 clinometaborite with a known reference. Clinometaborite sits at Mohs 3.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 3Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white.
- 4Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Clinometaborite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside clinometaborite
Minerals reported to co-occur with clinometaborite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- HBO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5
- Density
- 2.049 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals
- Cleavage
- One perfect set
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Found as a sublimate in an active fumarole (~250 °C) in a volcanic crater
Where rockhounds find clinometaborite
Classic worldwide localities
- La Fossa crater, Vulcano Island, Aeolian archipelago, Sicily, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Found as a sublimate in an active fumarole (~250 °C) in a volcanic crater. If you start seeing metaborite, sassolite, adranosite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify clinometaborite?+
Where is clinometaborite found?+
What rocks look like clinometaborite?+
What minerals are found with clinometaborite?+
What kind of rock does clinometaborite form in?+
What is clinometaborite used for?+
Find clinometaborite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
