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, so 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, 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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