Komkovite is a rare barium zirconium silicate mineral typically found in hyper-agpaitic pegmatites. It usually occurs as small, glassy, tabular crystals and is primarily sought after by advanced systematic mineral collectors.
Is this komkovite?
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 komkovite with a known reference. Komkovite sits at Mohs 3-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: light brown.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Komkovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Wadeite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-6.5 vs. 3-4); streak differs, so Komkovite leaves light brown, Wadeite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Komkovite and adamantine on Wadeite.
How to tell apart: Bafertisite is the harder of the two (Mohs ~5 vs. 3-4); streak differs, so Komkovite leaves light brown, Bafertisite leaves white.
Often found alongside komkovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with komkovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BaZrSi₃O₉·nH₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3-4
- Density
- 3.31 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Light brown
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Apparently altering from catapleiite, in dolomitic veinlets cutting metasomatically altered pyroxenites, in a carbonatite
Where rockhounds find komkovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Vuoriyarvi carbonatite complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Apparently altering from catapleiite, in dolomitic veinlets cutting metasomatically altered pyroxenites, in a carbonatite. If you start seeing dolomite, strontianite, phlogopite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find komkovite on the map
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