Strontioginorite is an extremely rare strontium-dominant member of the ginorite group found in evaporite basins. Collectors typically find it as small, white to colorless micaceous or tabular crystal aggregates associated with other borate minerals.
Is this strontioginorite?
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 strontioginorite with a known reference. Strontioginorite sits at Mohs 2-3, 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: silky.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, tabular, micaceous aggregates.
Often confused with
Strontioginorite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads silky on Strontioginorite and vitreous on Ginorite.
How to tell apart: Colemanite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4.5 vs. 2-3); luster reads silky on Strontioginorite and vitreous to adamantine on Colemanite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads silky on Strontioginorite and subvitreous, glimmering on Howlite.
Often found alongside strontioginorite
Minerals reported to co-occur with strontioginorite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Sr,Ca)₂B₁₄O₂₃·8H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 2.25 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Silky
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy crystals, tabular, micaceous aggregates
- Cleavage
- On {010}, perfect; on {001}, very good
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A rare insoluble residue in salt beds (Königshall-Hindenburg mine, Germany)
Where rockhounds find strontioginorite
Classic worldwide localities
- Furnace Creek district, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA
- Königshall-Hindenburg potash mine, Reyershausen, near Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Inder borate deposit, Kazakhstan
- Tincalayu borax deposit, Salar del Hombre Muerto, Salta Province, Argentina
- Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (New Brunswick Division) mine at Penobsquis, Kings County, New Brunswick, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A rare insoluble residue in salt beds (Königshall-Hindenburg mine, Germany). If you start seeing halite, anhydrite, sylvite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: platy crystals, tabular, micaceous aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify strontioginorite?+
Where is strontioginorite found?+
What rocks look like strontioginorite?+
What minerals are found with strontioginorite?+
What kind of rock does strontioginorite form in?+
What is strontioginorite used for?+
Find strontioginorite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
