Levantite is a potassium calcium aluminum phosphate that forms colorless prismatic crystals. It occurs in pyrometamorphic gehlenite-wollastonite hornfels. It was first described from the northern slope of Har Parsa, Negev Desert, near Arad, Israel.

Hardness

Mohs

Luster

Vitreous

Transparency

Translucent

mineralcommonChalcedony family

Levantite

Hardness: 5
Luster: Vitreous
Transparency: Translucent

Is this levantite?

4-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch levantite with a known reference. Levantite sits at Mohs 5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
3
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: colorless.
4
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals.

Often confused with

Levantite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Chert

Mohs 6.5-7

How to tell apart: Chert is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 5); luster reads vitreous on Levantite and waxy on Chert.

How to tell apart: Quartzite is the harder of the two (Mohs 7 vs. 5).

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Often found alongside levantite

Minerals reported to co-occur with levantite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: KCa₃Al₂(SiO₄)(Si₂O₇)(PO₄)
Mohs hardness: 5
Density: 2.957 g/cm³
Colors: Colorless
Luster: Vitreous
Transparency: Translucent
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Crystal habit: Prismatic crystals
Cleavage: Good on (100)
Rarity: Common
Uses: Lapidary, Decorative
Host rock: In pyrometamorphic gehlenite-wollastonite hornfels

Where rockhounds find levantite

Classic worldwide localities

Israel
Palestine
Jordan
Syria

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: In pyrometamorphic gehlenite-wollastonite hornfels. If you start seeing gehlenite, wollastonite, anorthite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify levantite?+

Mohs hardness is 5. Luster: vitreous. Common colors include colorless.

Where is levantite found?+

Notable localities include Israel; Palestine; Jordan; Syria.

What rocks look like levantite?+

Levantite is most often confused with Chert, Common Opal, Quartzite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with levantite?+

Levantite commonly co-occurs with Gehlenite, Wollastonite, Anorthite, Ti-bearing andradite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does levantite form in?+

Where it forms: In pyrometamorphic gehlenite-wollastonite hornfels. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is levantite used for?+

Levantite is used in lapidary, decorative.

Find levantite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.