Qilianshanite is an extremely rare borate mineral first discovered in the saline lake environments of the Qilian Mountains in China. It typically appears as white, transparent to translucent tabular or needle-like crystals, often requiring a microscope for proper identification due to its small size and rarity.
Is this qilianshanite?
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 qilianshanite with a known reference. Qilianshanite sits at Mohs ~2, 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: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular to acicular crystals, often as fibrous aggregates.
Often confused with
Qilianshanite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside qilianshanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with qilianshanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- NaH₄(CO₃)(BO₃)(H₂O)₂
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 1.706 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular to acicular crystals, often as fibrous aggregates
- Cleavage
- {100} and {010}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Formed by reaction of borate-rich waters with earlier sodium carbonates in a borate deposit
Where rockhounds find qilianshanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Juhongtu borate deposit, Qilian Mountains, Qinghai Province, China
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Formed by reaction of borate-rich waters with earlier sodium carbonates in a borate deposit. If you start seeing tincalconite, nahcolite, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular to acicular crystals, often as fibrous aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify qilianshanite?+
Where is qilianshanite found?+
What rocks look like qilianshanite?+
What minerals are found with qilianshanite?+
What kind of rock does qilianshanite form in?+
What is qilianshanite used for?+
Find qilianshanite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
