Goryainovite is a rare calcium phosphate that forms colorless rounded grains. It occurs in diopside-amphibole skarn in metamorphosed greenstone, metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks. It was first described from Stora Sahavaara iron ore deposit, Norrbotten county, Sweden.
Is this goryainovite?
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 goryainovite with a known reference. Goryainovite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: rounded grains.
Often confused with
Goryainovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside goryainovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with goryainovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂(PO₄)Cl
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 2.98 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Rounded grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In diopside-amphibole skarn in metamorphosed greenstone, metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks
Where rockhounds find goryainovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Stora Sahavaara iron ore deposit, Norrbotten county, Sweden
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In diopside-amphibole skarn in metamorphosed greenstone, metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks. If you start seeing magnetite, serpentine, spinel in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: rounded grains. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify goryainovite?+
Where is goryainovite found?+
What rocks look like goryainovite?+
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Find goryainovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
