Vanadomalayaite is an extremely rare vanadium-bearing member of the titanite group. It typically appears as yellowish-brown grains within metamorphic assemblages and requires professional mineralogical testing for positive identification.
Is this vanadomalayaite?
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 vanadomalayaite with a known reference. Vanadomalayaite sits at Mohs 5-5.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Vanadomalayaite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Vanadomalayaite typically shows a resinous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: anhedral to subhedral grains.
Often confused with
Vanadomalayaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside vanadomalayaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with vanadomalayaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaVOSiO₄
- Mohs hardness
- 5-5.5
- Density
- 3.84 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Resinous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Anhedral to Subhedral Grains
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find vanadomalayaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Malaya
- Madagascar
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks country, the host setting where vanadomalayaite typically forms. If you start seeing rhodonite, spessartine, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a anhedral to subhedral grains habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify vanadomalayaite?+
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What rocks look like vanadomalayaite?+
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Find vanadomalayaite on the map
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