Nastrophite is a rare hydrated sodium strontium phosphate mineral typically found in complex alkaline pegmatites. Collectors generally find it as small, clear to white equant crystals, often associated with other rare-earth minerals in the Kola Peninsula.
Is this nastrophite?
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 nastrophite with a known reference. Nastrophite 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: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: cubic. Typical habit: equant crystals, massive.
Often confused with
Nastrophite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside nastrophite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nastrophite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaSrPO₄·9H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 2.05 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Cubic
- Crystal habit
- Equant crystals, massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In pegmatitic veinlets in cancrinite and nepheline syenites
Where rockhounds find nastrophite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mts. Karnasurt and Alluaiv, Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In pegmatitic veinlets in cancrinite and nepheline syenites. If you start seeing vuonnemite, steenstrupine-, ilmajokite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: equant crystals, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nastrophite?+
Where is nastrophite found?+
What rocks look like nastrophite?+
What minerals are found with nastrophite?+
What kind of rock does nastrophite form in?+
What is nastrophite used for?+
Find nastrophite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
