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. Nierite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Nierite typically shows a metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: gray, black, blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: anhedral to subhedral grains.
Often confused with
Nierite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Nierite leaves white, Moissanite leaves greenish-gray; luster reads metallic on Nierite and adamantine on Moissanite.
How to tell apart: Diamond is the harder of the two (Mohs 10 vs. 9); streak differs — Nierite leaves white, Diamond leaves none; luster reads metallic on Nierite and adamantine on Diamond.
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
- 3.27 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral to Subhedral Grains
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Meteorites
- Typical price
- $100-500+ per small grain
Where rockhounds find nierite
Classic worldwide localities
- Indarch meteorite
- Orgueil meteorite
- Murchison meteorite
Field-hunting tip
Look in meteorites country — that is the host setting where nierite typically forms. If you start seeing diamond, graphite, kamacite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a anhedral to subhedral grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify nierite?+
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Find nierite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
