PRICEITE

    Class : Carbonates, nitrates, borates
    Subclass : Borates
    Crystal system : Triclinic
    Chemistry : Ca4B10O19 7H2O
    Rarity : Uncommon to rare

Priceite (formerly called pandermite) is a calcium borate found in evaporitic deposits of salt lakes. It was named in honor of Thomas Price, an American metallurgist who was the first to study the mineral. Priceite is not known in macroscopic crystals and occurs in concretionary masses with an earthy and dull break, white in color, reminiscent of kaolinite. It is an accessory boron ore.

Main photo : Priceite from Kohnstein Quarry, Thuringia, Germany © Gianfranco Ciccolini

Priceite in the World

Priceite is known in particular in Turkey at Panderma (origin of its old name), in several localities in the United States such as Furnace Creek (California) or Chetco (Oregon), and in the Canadian salt deposits of New Brunswick (Hillsborough, Wentworth ). Its best crystals reach 4 mm and come from the Kohnstein quarry (Thuringia, Germany).

Right photo : Priceite from Ultançayiri Mine, Türkiye © Andrew Hodgson


Priceite in France

Priceite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twins known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes listed for this mineral species.


Hardness : 3 to 3.5
Density : 2,42
Fracture : Irregular to conchoidal
Streak : White

TP : Translucent to transparent
RI : 1.571 to 1.594
Birefringence : 0.022
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : Blue to white

Solubility : Acids

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None

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