Nierite is a rare silicon nitride mineral primarily found as microscopic grains within primitive chondritic meteorites. It is highly valued by collectors and scientists as a presolar grain, originating from outside our solar system before being incorporated into the parent bodies of meteorites.
Is this nierite?
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 nierite with a known reference. Nierite sits at Mohs 9, 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: adamantine.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, brown, brownish red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: granular, tabular.
Often confused with
Nierite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Nierite leaves white, Moissanite leaves greenish gray; luster reads adamantine on Nierite and metallic to adamantine on Moissanite.
How to tell apart: Diamond is the harder of the two (Mohs 10 vs. 9); streak differs, so Nierite leaves white, Diamond leaves colorless.
Often found alongside nierite
Minerals reported to co-occur with nierite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Si₃N₄
- Mohs hardness
- 9
- Density
- 3.17-3.18 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Adamantine
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Granular, tabular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- A very rare component of enstatite chondrite and chondrite meteorites, probably formed by exsolution during metamorphism
Where rockhounds find nierite
Classic worldwide localities
- Indarch enstatite chondrite meteorite, and the Inman, Adrar, and Tieschitz chondrite meteorites
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A very rare component of enstatite chondrite and chondrite meteorites, probably formed by exsolution during metamorphism. If you start seeing diamond, kamacite, perryite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: granular, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nierite?+
Where is nierite found?+
What rocks look like nierite?+
What minerals are found with nierite?+
What kind of rock does nierite form in?+
What is nierite used for?+
Find nierite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
