Svyazhinite is a very rare magnesium aluminum sulfate mineral typically occurring as fragile, fibrous, or acicular crusts. It is most frequently identified in arid evaporite environments where it forms through the secondary alteration of aluminum-bearing minerals in the presence of sulfate-rich fluids.
Is this svyazhinite?
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 svyazhinite with a known reference. Svyazhinite sits at Mohs 2, 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.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, colorless, gray white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: nodular, tabular.
Often confused with
Svyazhinite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside svyazhinite
Minerals reported to co-occur with svyazhinite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- MgAl(SO₄)₂(F,OH)·13H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 1.67 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Nodular, tabular
- Cleavage
- {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A weathering product in fractures cutting pyrite–fluorite-bearing pyroxene–amphibole fenites
Where rockhounds find svyazhinite
Classic worldwide localities
- Ilmeniskie Mountains, Ural Mountains, Russia (type locality)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A weathering product in fractures cutting pyrite–fluorite-bearing pyroxene–amphibole fenites. If you start seeing gypsum, pickeringite, melanterite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: nodular, tabular. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify svyazhinite?+
Where is svyazhinite found?+
What rocks look like svyazhinite?+
What minerals are found with svyazhinite?+
What kind of rock does svyazhinite form in?+
What is svyazhinite used for?+
Find svyazhinite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
