Suanite is a rare magnesium borate mineral typically found in high-temperature contact metamorphic skarns. It usually occurs as white to colorless prismatic crystals or fibrous masses closely associated with ludwigite and carbonate minerals.
Is this suanite?
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 suanite with a known reference. Suanite sits at Mohs 5.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Suanite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Suanite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, radial aggregates, fibrous masses.
Often confused with
Suanite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Suanite is noticeably harder (Mohs 5.5 vs. 3-4); streak differs — Suanite leaves white, Warwickite leaves black; luster reads vitreous on Suanite and submetallic on Warwickite.
How to tell apart: Sinhalite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 5.5).
Often found alongside suanite
Minerals reported to co-occur with suanite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Mg₂B₂O₅
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5
- Density
- 2.95 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Radial Aggregates, Fibrous Masses
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Boron-rich Contact Metamorphic Skarns
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find suanite
Classic worldwide localities
- Suan Mine, North Korea
- Hol Kol, North Korea
- Kremikovtsi, Bulgaria
- Skarn deposits in Siberia, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Look in boron-rich contact metamorphic skarns country — that is the host setting where suanite typically forms. If you start seeing ludwigite, calcite, forsterite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, radial aggregates, fibrous masses habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find suanite on the map
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