Glucine is a rare calcium beryllium phosphate, typically white to yellow. It occurs in segregations in mica-fluorite greisen in illite rocks (Boevskoye deposit, Russia). It was first described from the Boevskoye phenakite-beryl deposit, 35 km southwest of Kamensk-Ural'skii, Ural Mountains, Russia.
Is this glucine?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch glucine with a known reference. Glucine sits at Mohs 4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Glucine leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Glucine typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Glucine vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside glucine
Minerals reported to co-occur with glucine. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CaBe₄(PO₄)₂(OH)₄·0.5H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 4
- Density
- 2.23-2.40 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Pegmatites
Where rockhounds find glucine
Classic worldwide localities
- Russia
- Sweden
- Norway
Field-hunting tip
Look in pegmatites country, the host setting where glucine typically forms. If you start seeing beryl, quartz, feldspar in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify glucine?+
Where is glucine found?+
What rocks look like glucine?+
What minerals are found with glucine?+
What kind of rock does glucine form in?+
What is glucine used for?+
Find glucine on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
