How do I identify Hanksite?

Hanksite can be identified by its hardness of 3 - 3.5 on the Mohs scale, Colourless to grey color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Hanksite?

Hanksite typically appears in Colourless to grey, yellow or almost black; colourless in transmitted light.. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

How hard is Hanksite?

Hanksite has a hardness of 3 - 3.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a soft mineral that can be scratched easily.

Hanksite

A variety of Minerals

What is Hanksite?

Hanksite is a sulfate mineral, distinguished as one of only a handful that contain both carbonate and sulfate ion groups. It has the chemical formula Na22K(SO4)9(CO3)2Cl.

Hanksite Market Value Calculator

Estimate the market value of Hanksite using size, quality, and finish. This preview calculator is for quick context and is not a formal appraisal.

Hanksite Localities Map

See where Hanksite is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.

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North ZoneCentral RidgeSouth Basin

Key Characteristics

Characteristics of Hanksite

Hanksite can be colorless, white, gray, green or yellow and is transparent or translucent. The mineral's hardness is approximately 3 to 3.5. The specific gravity is approximately 2.5 (slightly below average). It is salty to the taste and sometimes glows pale yellow in ultraviolet light. Typical growth habits are hexagonal prisms or tabular with pyramidal terminations. The streak of Hanksite is white. It can contain inclusions of clay that the crystal formed around while developing.

Formation of Hanksite

It was first described in 1888 for an occurrence in Searles Lake, California, and named for American geologist Henry Garber Hanks. Hanksite is normally found in crystal form as evaporite deposits. Hanksite crystals are large but not complex in structure. It is often found in Searles Lake, Soda Lake, Mono Lake, and in Death Valley. At its deposits in San Bernardino County, California hanksite is commonly found beneath the surface embedded in mud or in drill cores (Palache et al., 1960). It is associated with halite, borax, trona and aphthitalite at the Searles Lake locality. It is also associated with borax mining in the Soda Lake area.

Quick Facts

Physical Properties

Color: Colourless to grey, yellow or almost black; colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs): 3 - 3.5
Density: 2.585 g/cm³
Streak: White