Saltonseaite is a rare manganese potassium chloride hydrate first identified in the Salton Sea geothermal field. It typically forms as small, colorless hexagonal plates associated with other evaporite minerals in salt crusts. Due to its extreme rarity and tendency to deliquesce, it is rarely encountered by casual collectors outside of specialized research contexts.
Is this saltonseaite?
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 saltonseaite with a known reference. Saltonseaite sits at Mohs ~2.5, 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: vitreous to oily (due to deliquescence).
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: hexagonal plates.
Often confused with
Saltonseaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside saltonseaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with saltonseaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- K₃NaMnCl₆
- Mohs hardness
- ~2.5
- Density
- 2.26 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to oily (due to deliquescence)
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Hexagonal plates
- Cleavage
- Very good on {110}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- The product of natural evaporation of geothermal (hydrothermal) brines enriched in K, Na, Mn, and Cl
Where rockhounds find saltonseaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Salton Sea, California, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: The product of natural evaporation of geothermal (hydrothermal) brines enriched in K, Na, Mn, and Cl. If you start seeing sylvite, halite, akaganéite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: hexagonal plates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify saltonseaite?+
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What rocks look like saltonseaite?+
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Find saltonseaite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
