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 — that is 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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