Priceite typically occurs as chalky white, porous nodules or compact masses in lacustrine evaporite beds. It is often identified by its soft, dull, non-crystalline appearance and is frequently associated with other boron-rich minerals like colemanite and ulexite.
Is this priceite?
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 priceite with a known reference. Priceite sits at Mohs 3-3.5, 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: porcelaneous to earthy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: concretionary, cryptocrystalline, earthy.
Often confused with
Priceite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads porcelaneous to earthy on Priceite and subvitreous, glimmering on Howlite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads porcelaneous to earthy on Priceite and vitreous on Magnesite.
How to tell apart: Priceite is noticeably harder (Mohs 3-3.5 vs. 1.5-2); luster reads porcelaneous to earthy on Priceite and subvitreous, pearly on {010} cleavages, silky if fibrous on Gypsum.
Often found alongside priceite
Minerals reported to co-occur with priceite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₄B₁₀O₁₉·7H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3-3.5
- Density
- 2.42 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Porcelaneous to earthy
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Concretionary, cryptocrystalline, earthy
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}
- Fluorescence
- White under SW and LW UV
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Ore of boron
- Host rock
- Deposited from hot spring and solfataric deposits, also a component of borate-enriched evaporites; may be derived from colemanite
Where rockhounds find priceite
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Eight km north of Chetco, Curry Co., Oregon, USA
- Death Valley, as the Monte Blanco area, in Corkscrew Wash, and the Furnace Creek district, Inyo Co., California, USA
- Penobsquis and Salt Springs evaporite deposits, near Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada
- Mesa del Almo, 13 km southeast of Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico
- Sultançayir borate deposit, Bursa Province, and in several deposits in the Bigadiç borate district, Balıkesir Province, Turkey
- Inder borate deposit, Kazakhstan
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Deposited from hot spring and solfataric deposits, also a component of borate-enriched evaporites; may be derived from colemanite. If you start seeing colemanite, ulexite, gypsum in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: concretionary, cryptocrystalline, earthy. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Oklahoma. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify priceite?+
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Find priceite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
