Murakamiite is a rare lithium-bearing silicate mineral belonging to the pectolite group. It typically occurs as delicate, fibrous radiating clusters or masses and is primarily known from specific alkaline pegmatite environments.
Is this murakamiite?
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 murakamiite with a known reference. Murakamiite sits at Mohs 4.5-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to silky.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: fibrous, acicular, radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Murakamiite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside murakamiite
Minerals reported to co-occur with murakamiite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- LiCa₂Si₃O₈(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 4.5-5
- Density
- 2.86 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to silky
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Fibrous, acicular, radiating aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100} and {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a metasomatic aegirine-augite albitite
Where rockhounds find murakamiite
Classic worldwide localities
- Murakami mine, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
- Poudrette Quarry, Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a metasomatic aegirine-augite albitite. If you start seeing aegirine-augite, pectolite, sugilite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: fibrous, acicular, radiating aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify murakamiite?+
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Find murakamiite on the map
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