Serandite is a striking manganese-rich silicate primarily known for its beautiful salmon-pink to reddish-orange elongated crystals. It is most famous among collectors for the large, high-quality specimens recovered from the alkaline complexes at Mont Saint-Hilaire. It is typically found in pegmatitic pockets and miarolitic cavities associated with nepheline syenites.
Is this serandite?
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 serandite with a known reference. Serandite sits at Mohs 4.5-5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Serandite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Serandite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, orange, red, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: prismatic, bladed, tabular.
Often confused with
Serandite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside serandite
Minerals reported to co-occur with serandite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na(Mn²⁺)₂Si₃O₈(OH)
- Mohs hardness
- 4.5-5
- Density
- 3.31 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, Bladed, Tabular
- Cleavage
- Perfect in One Direction
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Alkaline Igneous Rocks
- Typical price
- $50-500 depending on crystal size and quality
Where rockhounds find serandite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
- Kola Peninsula, Russia
- Kaso Mine, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Look in alkaline igneous rocks country — that is the host setting where serandite typically forms. If you start seeing aegirine, microcline, analcime in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic, bladed, tabular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find serandite on the map
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