Krinovite is an extremely rare silicate mineral first identified in the remains of the Tunguska meteorite. It typically appears as dark green, anhedral grains within meteoritic material, requiring professional chemical analysis to distinguish from other pyroxene-group minerals.
Is this krinovite?
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 krinovite with a known reference. Krinovite sits at Mohs 5.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: greenish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: subadamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark green, emerald green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: anhedral grains, microscopic crystals.
Often confused with
Krinovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Krinovite leaves greenish white, Sapphirine leaves white; luster reads subadamantine on Krinovite and vitreous on Sapphirine.
How to tell apart: Luster reads subadamantine on Krinovite and vitreous to silky on Omphacite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Krinovite leaves greenish white, Diopside leaves white, gray, gray-green; luster reads subadamantine on Krinovite and vitreous or dull on Diopside.
Often found alongside krinovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with krinovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaMg₂CrSi₃O₁₀
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5-7
- Density
- 3.38 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Greenish white
- Luster
- Subadamantine
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral grains, microscopic crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Disseminated within graphite nodules in some octahedrite iron meteorites
Where rockhounds find krinovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Canyon Diablo, Wichita County, and Youndegin meteorites
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Disseminated within graphite nodules in some octahedrite iron meteorites. If you start seeing graphite, roedderite, high albite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: anhedral grains, microscopic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify krinovite?+
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What rocks look like krinovite?+
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Find krinovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
