Revdite is an extremely rare hydrated sodium silicate mineral primarily found in the alkaline complex of Mont Saint-Hilaire. It typically occurs as small, colorless, platy, or tabular crystals associated with other rare alkaline minerals in pegmatite vugs.
Is this revdite?
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 revdite with a known reference. Revdite 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 to pearly, silky.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: fibrous, prismatic.
Often confused with
Revdite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside revdite
Minerals reported to co-occur with revdite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₁₆Si₁₆O₂₇(OH)₂₆(H₂O)₂₆·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 1.94 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to pearly, silky
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Fibrous, prismatic
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100}, less perfect on {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- In ussingite veinlets cutting nepheline syenites in a differentiated alkalic massif (Lovozero massif, Russia); in sodalite xenoliths in syenite in an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada)
Where rockhounds find revdite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mt. Karnasurt, Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia
- Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In ussingite veinlets cutting nepheline syenites in a differentiated alkalic massif (Lovozero massif, Russia); in sodalite xenoliths in syenite in an intrusive alkalic gabbro-syenite complex (Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada). If you start seeing ussingite, villiaumite, kogarkoite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: fibrous, prismatic. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify revdite?+
Where is revdite found?+
What rocks look like revdite?+
What minerals are found with revdite?+
What kind of rock does revdite form in?+
What is revdite used for?+
Find revdite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
