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, so 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); 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, 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
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Find nierite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
