Yakhontovite is a rare copper-bearing phyllosilicate mineral that typically forms as soft, earthy, or powdery coatings in oxidized copper deposits. It is best identified by its distinct sky-blue to greenish-blue color and association with other copper secondary minerals. Collectors often find it in the oxidation zones of hydrothermal veins where it has replaced other minerals.
Is this yakhontovite?
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 yakhontovite with a known reference. Yakhontovite 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. Yakhontovite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Yakhontovite typically shows a dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, greenish-blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive, powdery, or earthy aggregates.
Often confused with
Yakhontovite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside yakhontovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with yakhontovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Ca,Na)₀.₅(Cu,Fe³⁺,Mg)₂Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂·n(H₂O)
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 2.5 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Powdery, Or Earthy Aggregates
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Hydrothermal Zones
- Typical price
- $20-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find yakhontovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Russia
- Kazakhstan
- USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized hydrothermal zones country — that is the host setting where yakhontovite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, hematite, cuprite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, powdery, or earthy aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify yakhontovite?+
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How much is yakhontovite worth?+
What rocks look like yakhontovite?+
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Find yakhontovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
