Escheite is a rare, beryllium-rich variety of tugtupite known for its intense and distinctive luminescence under ultraviolet light. It is primarily found within the complex nepheline syenites of the Ilimaussaq intrusive complex in Greenland. Collectors prize it for its vibrant color-changing properties and its association with other rare alkaline minerals.
Is this escheite?
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 escheite with a known reference. Escheite sits at Mohs 4 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Escheite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Escheite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, red, white, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, rarely prismatic.
Often confused with
Escheite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside escheite
Minerals reported to co-occur with escheite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₄AlBeSi₄O₁₂Cl
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 2.36 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Rarely Prismatic
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Fluorescence
- Bright Orange-red Under UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Alkaline Igneous Rocks
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on fluorescence and specimen size
Where rockhounds find escheite
Classic worldwide localities
- Ilimaussaq Complex, Greenland
Field-hunting tip
Look in alkaline igneous rocks country — that is the host setting where escheite typically forms. If you start seeing aegirine, arfvedsonite, eudialyte in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, rarely prismatic habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find escheite on the map
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