How do I identify Suanite?

Suanite can be identified by its hardness of 5.5 on the Mohs scale, White color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Suanite?

Suanite typically appears in White. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

Suanite has a hardness of 5.5 on the Mohs scale. This gives it moderate hardness.

Suanite

A variety of Minerals

What is Suanite?

Suanite is a magnesium borate mineral with formula Mg2B2O5. It was first described in 1953 by Japanese scientist Takeo Watanabe from the University of Tokyo. His first contact with the mineral was during analysis of gold- and copper- bearing skarn minerals from the Hol Kol mine, located in North Korea obtained in 1939. Due to the small sample size available to him, he was only able to determine the unknown substance's optical properties under a microscope. Watanabe was able to return to the site in 1943 and obtain further samples that permitted him to perform chemical analysis on the material.