Veatchite is a rare strontium borate mineral that typically forms as delicate, white platy crystals or radial clusters. It is highly prized by mineral collectors for its strong, distinct bright blue fluorescence under short-wave ultraviolet light.
Is this veatchite?
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 veatchite with a known reference. Veatchite sits at Mohs 2.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Veatchite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Veatchite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, radial aggregates.
Often confused with
Veatchite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside veatchite
Minerals reported to co-occur with veatchite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Sr₂B₁₁O₁₆(OH)₅·H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2.5
- Density
- 2.68 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy Crystals, Radial Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001}
- Fluorescence
- Bright Blue Under SW UV
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Evaporite Borate Deposits
- Typical price
- $20-150 for micro to small cabinet specimens
Where rockhounds find veatchite
Classic worldwide localities
- Boron, California, USA
- Lang, California, USA
- Inder Deposit, Kazakhstan
Field-hunting tip
Look in evaporite borate deposits country — that is the host setting where veatchite typically forms. If you start seeing colemanite, borax, ulexite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a platy crystals, radial aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find veatchite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
