How do I identify Karelianite?

Karelianite can be identified by its hardness of 8 - 9 on the Mohs scale, Black color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Karelianite?

Karelianite typically appears in Black. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

How hard is Karelianite?

Karelianite has a hardness of 8 - 9 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a relatively hard mineral suitable for jewelry.

Karelianite

A variety of Minerals

What is Karelianite?

Karelianite is an rare mineral, a natural form of vanadium(III) oxide, V2O3. In terms of chemistry it is vanadium-analogue of hematite, corundum, eskolaite, tistarite, bixbyite, avicennite, and yttriaite-(Y). The name comes from Karelia, a region on the Finnish-Russian border. It may be associated with magnesium-rich rocks.