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 5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Murakamiite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Murakamiite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, white, colorless.
- 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
- 5
- Density
- 2.88 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Fibrous, Acicular, Radiating Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Alkaline Igneous Rocks
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find murakamiite
Classic worldwide localities
- Murakami mine, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
- Poudrette Quarry, Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Look in alkaline igneous rocks country — that is the host setting where murakamiite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, albite, apophyllite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a fibrous, acicular, radiating aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify murakamiite?+
Where is murakamiite found?+
How much is murakamiite worth?+
What rocks look like murakamiite?+
What minerals are found with murakamiite?+
What kind of rock does murakamiite form in?+
What is murakamiite used for?+
Find murakamiite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
