Hazenite is an extremely rare phosphate mineral known specifically from the alkaline, hypersaline environment of Mono Lake, California. It forms as thin, colorless, tabular crystals that are often associated with microbial activity in the lake sediments.
Is this hazenite?
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 hazenite with a known reference. Hazenite sits at Mohs 2-2.5, 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: prismatic, radial, tabular.
Often confused with
Hazenite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside hazenite
Minerals reported to co-occur with hazenite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂·14H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-2.5
- Density
- 1.91 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, radial, tabular
- Cleavage
- Good on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In and/or on completely dried-out or decomposed cyanobacteria on porous calcium carbonate (mainly calcite and aragonite) substrates or tufa in a hypersaline alkaline lake in a hydrologically closed basin
Where rockhounds find hazenite
Classic worldwide localities
- South shore of Mono Lake, California, USA (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In and/or on completely dried-out or decomposed cyanobacteria on porous calcium carbonate (mainly calcite and aragonite) substrates or tufa in a hypersaline alkaline lake in a hydrologically closed basin. If you start seeing calcite, aragonite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic, radial, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify hazenite?+
Where is hazenite found?+
What rocks look like hazenite?+
What minerals are found with hazenite?+
What kind of rock does hazenite form in?+
What is hazenite used for?+
Find hazenite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
