Nashite is a very rare hydrated sodium vanadium oxide mineral discovered in the sandstone of the Colorado Plateau. It typically occurs as small, bluish green, 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. Streak: pale bluish green.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: subadamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: bluish green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. 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. ~1); streak differs, so Nashite leaves pale bluish green, Hewettite leaves brownish red; luster reads subadamantine on Nashite and silky to adamantine on Hewettite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Nashite leaves pale bluish green, Metahewettite leaves maroon to brownish red; luster reads subadamantine on Nashite and dull to somewhat silky 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
- Na₃Ca₂(H₂O)₂₂[(VV₉)O₂₈]·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 2.350 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale bluish green
- Luster
- Subadamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Bladed crystals
- Cleavage
- Good on {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- sandstone
Where rockhounds find nashite
Classic worldwide localities
- Little Eva mine, Yellow Cat District, Grand County, Utah, and the St. Jude mine, Slick Rock district, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sandstone. If you start seeing calciodelrioite, calcite, gypsum in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: bladed crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nashite?+
Where is nashite found?+
Is nashite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like nashite?+
What minerals are found with nashite?+
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What is nashite used for?+
Find nashite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
