Nashite is a very rare hydrated sodium vanadium oxide mineral discovered in the sandstone of the Colorado Plateau. It typically occurs as small, pale yellow, bladed or tabular crystals associated with other secondary vanadium minerals in oxidized uranium-vanadium deposits.
Is this nashite?
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 nashite with a known reference. Nashite sits at Mohs 2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Nashite leaves a yellow streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Nashite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: bladed crystals.
Often confused with
Nashite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Nashite is noticeably harder (Mohs 2 vs. approx 1); streak differs — Nashite leaves yellow, Hewettite leaves brownish red; luster reads vitreous on Nashite and pearly on Hewettite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Nashite leaves yellow, Metahewettite leaves deep red; luster reads vitreous on Nashite and subadamantine on Metahewettite.
Often found alongside nashite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nashite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₃V₁₀O₂₄·15H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 2.16 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Bladed Crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Sandstone
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find nashite
Classic worldwide localities
- Bull Pen, Montrose County, Colorado, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sandstone country — that is the host setting where nashite typically forms. If you start seeing hewettite, rossite, metarossite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a bladed crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find nashite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
