Laachite is a rare local trade name for a specific type of quartz, typically found in pegmatite deposits in Norway. It is often synonymous with massive or poorly formed quartz varieties that occur alongside rare earth minerals.
Is this laachite?
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 laachite with a known reference. Laachite 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. Laachite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Laachite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, milky, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Laachite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside laachite
Minerals reported to co-occur with laachite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector
- Host rock
- Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $5-20
Where rockhounds find laachite
Classic worldwide localities
- Norway
Field-hunting tip
Look in pegmatites country — that is the host setting where laachite typically forms. If you start seeing feldspar, mica in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify laachite?+
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How much is laachite worth?+
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Find laachite on the map
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