How do I identify Kurnakovite?

Kurnakovite can be identified by its hardness of 2.5 - 3 on the Mohs scale, White color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Kurnakovite?

Kurnakovite typically appears in White, colourless in transmitted light. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

How hard is Kurnakovite?

Kurnakovite has a hardness of 2.5 - 3 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a soft mineral that can be scratched easily.

Kurnakovite

A variety of Minerals

What is Kurnakovite?

Kurnakovite is a hydrated borate of magnesium with the chemical composition MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O. It is a member of the inderite group and is a triclinic dimorph of the monoclinic inderite.

Kurnakovite Market Value Calculator

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

Kurnakovite Localities Map

See where Kurnakovite 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 Kurnakovite

Kurnakovite has triclinic - pinacodial crystallography. It forms as rough, prismatic crystals, typically in dense aggregates. Kurnakovite has distinct cleavage and a conchoidal fracture. Its tenacity is brittle and it ranges between 2.5 – 3 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is not soluble in water, though it will start dissolving in warm acid. Kurnakovite is usually colorless or white and either transparent or translucent. It has a vitreous, pearly luster and a refractive index of between 1.488 - 1.525.

Formation of Kurnakovite

Kurnakovite, was first described by Godlevsky in 1940 for an occurrence in the Inder borate deposits in Atyrau Province, Kazakhstan, and is named for Russian mineralogist and chemist Nikolai Semenovich Kurnakov (1860–1941). In addition to the type locality in Kazakhstan, kurakovite has also been reported from the Zhacang-Caka brine lake, Tibet; the Kirka borate deposit, Kiitahya Province, Turkey; the Kramer borate deposit, Boron, Kern County, California; Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California; and the Tincalayu borax deposit, Salar del Hombre Muerto, Salta Province, Argentina.