Delindeite is an extremely rare titanosilicate mineral found primarily in alkaline pegmatites of the Kola Peninsula. It typically occurs as small, delicate, pale pinkish gray platy crystals or radial clusters associated with other rare alkaline minerals.
Is this delindeite?
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 delindeite with a known reference. Delindeite sits at Mohs 3-4, 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: resinous, pearly.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray pink.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: aggregates, flakes.
Often confused with
Delindeite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Labuntsovite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6 vs. 3-4); luster reads resinous, pearly on Delindeite and greasy on Labuntsovite.
How to tell apart: Nenadkevichite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. 3-4); luster reads resinous, pearly on Delindeite and vitreous to dull on Nenadkevichite.
Often found alongside delindeite
Minerals reported to co-occur with delindeite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ba₂Ti₂(Na₂□)Ti(Si₂O₇)₂(OH)₂(H₂O)₂O₂
- Mohs hardness
- 3-4
- Density
- 3.3 g/cm³
- Colors
- Gray pink
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous, pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, flakes
- Cleavage
- {001}, good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In vugs and miarolitic cavities, as a weathering product of titaniferous nepheline syenite
Where rockhounds find delindeite
Classic worldwide localities
- Found in the Diamond Jo quarry, Magnet Cove, Hot Spring Co., Arkansas, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In vugs and miarolitic cavities, as a weathering product of titaniferous nepheline syenite. If you start seeing pectolite, barite, labuntsovite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, flakes. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify delindeite?+
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Find delindeite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
