Olympite is an extremely rare phosphate mineral discovered at the fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano in Russia. It typically occurs as small, colorless to white tabular crystals within volcanic sublimate deposits and is highly sought after by advanced mineral collectors.
Is this olympite?
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 olympite with a known reference. Olympite sits at Mohs ~4, 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: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Olympite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Olympite leaves white, Kozyrevskite leaves very light green.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Olympite leaves white, Popovite leaves light olive-green to light yellow-green.
Often found alongside olympite
Minerals reported to co-occur with olympite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- LiNa₅(PO₄)₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 2.8 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An ultra-alkalic phase in nepheline syenite pegmatites in differentiated alkalic massifs
Where rockhounds find olympite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mt. Rasvumchorr, Khibiny massif, and in the Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An ultra-alkalic phase in nepheline syenite pegmatites in differentiated alkalic massifs. If you start seeing sidorenkite, dorfmanite, nahpoite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify olympite?+
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Is olympite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like olympite?+
What minerals are found with olympite?+
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Find olympite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
