Danalite is a rare beryllium silicate that typically forms as reddish-brown to pinkish tetrahedral crystals. It is most frequently found in complex granite pegmatites and contact metamorphic zones, often requiring professional analysis to distinguish it from other members of the helvine group.
Is this danalite?
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 danalite with a known reference. Danalite sits at Mohs 5.5-6, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: gray white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous or greasy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, brownish black, grayish yellow, pink, reddish brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Danalite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside danalite
Minerals reported to co-occur with danalite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Be₃Fe₄(SiO₄)₃S
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5-6
- Density
- 3.28-3.46 g/cm³
- Streak
- Gray white
- Luster
- Vitreous or greasy
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- Poor on {111}, {111}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In granites, granite pegmatites, zones of contact metamorphism, skarns, and gneisses
Where rockhounds find danalite
Classic worldwide localities
- Rockport and Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts, USA
- Moat Mountain, Conway, Carroll Co., New Hampshire, USA
- Iron Mountain, Sierra Co., New Mexico, USA
- Black Hills, south of Jerome, Yavapai Co., Arizona, USA
- Needlepoint Mountain, McDame area, British Columbia, and on Walrus Island, James Bay, Quebec, Canada
- Yxsjö, Örebro, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In granites, granite pegmatites, zones of contact metamorphism, skarns, and gneisses. If you start seeing magnetite, garnet, fluorite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify danalite?+
Where is danalite found?+
Is danalite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like danalite?+
What minerals are found with danalite?+
What kind of rock does danalite form in?+
What is danalite used for?+
Find danalite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
