Zakharovite is a rare sodium-manganese silicate primarily found in the alkaline igneous rocks of the Kola Peninsula. It typically forms attractive yellow to brownish platy or radial aggregates within pegmatite cavities, often associated with other rare alkaline minerals.
Is this zakharovite?
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 zakharovite with a known reference. Zakharovite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: pearly, vitreous to dull waxy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, bright yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: platy crystals, radial aggregates.
Often confused with
Zakharovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Steacyite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. ~2); luster reads pearly, vitreous to dull waxy on Zakharovite and vitreous on Steacyite.
How to tell apart: Gonnardite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5 vs. ~2); luster reads pearly, vitreous to dull waxy on Zakharovite and silky on Gonnardite.
Often found alongside zakharovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with zakharovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₄Mn₅Si₁₀O₂₄(OH)₆·6H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 2.58-2.64 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly, vitreous to dull waxy
- Transparency
- Translucent to opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Platy crystals, radial aggregates
- Cleavage
- {0001}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In ussingite veinlets cutting foyaite in differentiated alkalic massifs (Kola Peninsula, Russia)
Where rockhounds find zakharovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mt. Karnasurt, Lovozero massif, and on Mts. Yukspor and Koashva, Khibiny massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia
- Saint-Amable sill, near Varennes, and at Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In ussingite veinlets cutting foyaite in differentiated alkalic massifs (Kola Peninsula, Russia). If you start seeing ussingite, terskite, lovozerite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: platy crystals, radial aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify zakharovite?+
Where is zakharovite found?+
What rocks look like zakharovite?+
What minerals are found with zakharovite?+
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What is zakharovite used for?+
Find zakharovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
