Inderite is a hydrous magnesium borate typically found in saline lake bed deposits. It often forms elongated, prismatic crystals or fibrous masses and is highly valued by mineral collectors for its association with rare borate minerals in restricted evaporite environments.
Is this inderite?
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 inderite with a known reference. Inderite sits at Mohs 2.5-3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Inderite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Inderite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, yellowish.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: short prismatic crystals, fibrous aggregates, nodular masses.
Often confused with
Inderite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside inderite
Minerals reported to co-occur with inderite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg(B₃O₃(OH)₅)·5H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5-3
- Density
- 1.79-1.80 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Short Prismatic Crystals, Fibrous Aggregates, Nodular Masses
- Cleavage
- Perfect in One Direction
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Evaporite Deposits in Saline Lakes
- Typical price
- $15-60 thumbnail
Where rockhounds find inderite
Classic worldwide localities
- Inder Lake, Kazakhstan
- Kramer District, California, USA
- Turkey
- Argentina
Field-hunting tip
Look in evaporite deposits in saline lakes country — that is the host setting where inderite typically forms. If you start seeing kurnakovite, borax, colemanite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a short prismatic crystals, fibrous aggregates, nodular masses habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find inderite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
