Khmaralite is a rare beryllium-bearing mineral belonging to the sapphirine supergroup, chemically distinguished from sapphirine by its significant beryllium content. It typically occurs as small, dark blue to greenish-blue granular masses in high-grade metamorphic complexes. Collectors prize it primarily as a rare mineralogical curiosity due to its limited global occurrences.
Is this khmaralite?
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 khmaralite with a known reference. Khmaralite sits at Mohs ~7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: green-gray.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: very dark green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: aggregates, foliated, tabular.
Often confused with
Khmaralite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside khmaralite
Minerals reported to co-occur with khmaralite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₄(Mg₃Al₉)O₄[Si₅Be₂Al₅O₃₆]
- Mohs hardness
- ~7
- Density
- 3.61 g/cm³
- Colors
- Very dark green
- Streak
- Green-gray
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, foliated, tabular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a pegmatite metamorphosed at granulite-facies likely from pre-existing pegmatitic Be phases such as beryllian cordierite
Where rockhounds find khmaralite
Classic worldwide localities
- Casey Bay, Enderby Land, Antarctica
- Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a pegmatite metamorphosed at granulite-facies likely from pre-existing pegmatitic Be phases such as beryllian cordierite. If you start seeing surinamite, musgravite, sillimanite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, foliated, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify khmaralite?+
Where is khmaralite found?+
Is khmaralite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like khmaralite?+
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Find khmaralite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
