Hatrurite is an extremely rare calcium silicate mineral primarily known from combustion metamorphic complexes. It forms as a product of high-temperature reactions in carbonate-rich rocks and is chemically analogous to alite found in Portland cement clinker.
Is this hatrurite?
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 hatrurite with a known reference. Hatrurite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Hatrurite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Hatrurite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: equant crystals, granular.
Often confused with
Hatrurite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Larnite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6 vs. 3).
How to tell apart: Brownmillerite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-6 vs. 3); streak differs, so Hatrurite leaves white, Brownmillerite leaves brown; luster reads vitreous on Hatrurite and submetallic on Brownmillerite.
Often found alongside hatrurite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hatrurite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₃SiO₅
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 3.18 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Equant Crystals, Granular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Pyrometamorphic Rocks of The Hatrurim Formation
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find hatrurite
Classic worldwide localities
- Hatrurim Formation, Israel
- Jebel Harmun, Palestinian Authority
- Maqarin, Jordan
Field-hunting tip
Look in pyrometamorphic rocks of the hatrurim formation country, the host setting where hatrurite typically forms. If you start seeing larnite, brownmillerite, portlandite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a equant crystals, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find hatrurite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
