Morinite is a rare phosphate mineral found in complex granite pegmatites. Collectors usually look for its distinctive pink to flesh-red prismatic crystals associated with other phosphate minerals or beryl.
Is this morinite?
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 morinite with a known reference. Morinite sits at Mohs 4.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Morinite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Morinite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, flesh-red, white, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: short prismatic crystals, fibrous, massive.
Often confused with
Morinite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside morinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with morinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaCa₂Be₂Al(PO₄)₃F₂·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 4.5
- Density
- 3.31 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Short Prismatic Crystals, Fibrous, Massive
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $20-150 thumbnail specimens
Where rockhounds find morinite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tip Top Mine, South Dakota, USA
- Silver Coin Mine, Montana, USA
- Hagendorf-Pleystein, Germany
- Mangualde, Portugal
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where morinite typically forms. If you start seeing beryl, triplite, albite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a short prismatic crystals, fibrous, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find morinite on the map
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