Takovite is a rare nickel aluminum carbonate hydroxide mineral primarily found as a secondary weathering product in ultramafic rocks. It typically presents as soft, waxy or pearly green crusts or fine-grained masses, often requiring X-ray diffraction for definitive identification.
Is this takovite?
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 takovite with a known reference. Takovite 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. Takovite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Takovite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, pale green, yellowish green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive, powdery, or as thin crusts.
Often confused with
Takovite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Gartrellite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4 vs. 2); streak differs — Takovite leaves white, Gartrellite leaves pale green; luster reads pearly on Takovite and vitreous on Gartrellite.
How to tell apart: Zaratite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3-3.25 vs. 2); streak differs — Takovite leaves white, Zaratite leaves pale green; luster reads pearly on Takovite and vitreous on Zaratite.
Often found alongside takovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with takovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ni₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(CO₃)·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 2.12 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Powdery, Or as Thin Crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Nickel-bearing Ultrabasic Rocks
- Typical price
- $20-150 per specimen depending on size and quality
Where rockhounds find takovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Takovu, Serbia
- New Caledonia
- Australia
- Greece
Field-hunting tip
Look in nickel-bearing ultrabasic rocks country — that is the host setting where takovite typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, goethite, serpentine in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, powdery, or as thin crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find takovite on the map
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