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 3, 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 to pearly on cleavages, dull, greasy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, pink.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: euhedral crystals, massive.
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
- 3
- Density
- 1.80 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to pearly on cleavages, dull, greasy
- Transparency
- Translucent to transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Euhedral crystals, massive
- Cleavage
- {010}, perfect; {110}, good
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Relatively rare as a primary mineral in lacustrine borate deposits
Where rockhounds find inderite
Classic worldwide localities
- Boron open pit, and from the Baker and Jenifer mines, Kramer borate deposit, Kern Co., California, USA
- Hard Scramble claim, Furnace Creek district, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA
- Kyzyl Tau Mountain, Inder boron deposit, Kazakhstan
- Tincalayu borax deposit, Salar del Hombre Muerto, Salta Province, Argentina
- Sarıkaya, near Kirka, Eskiçehir Province, Turkey
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Relatively rare as a primary mineral in lacustrine borate deposits. If you start seeing hydroboracite, kurnakovite, borax in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: euhedral crystals, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify inderite?+
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What rocks look like inderite?+
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Find inderite on the map
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