Lipuite is a rare potassium sodium manganese phosphate, typically dark red-brown. It was approved as a distinct mineral species in 2014. It was first described from the N'Chwaning III mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, Northern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.
Is this lipuite?
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 lipuite with a known reference. Lipuite sits at Mohs 6.5-7.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Lipuite leaves a red streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Lipuite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark red-brown, bright red, dark red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic.
Often confused with
Lipuite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Lipuite leaves red, Andradite leaves white; luster reads vitreous on Lipuite and adamantine to resinous to dull on Andradite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Lipuite leaves red, Schorlomite leaves white.
Often found alongside lipuite
Minerals reported to co-occur with lipuite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KNa₈Mn³⁺₅Mg₀.₅[Si₁₂O₃₀(OH)₄](PO₄)O₂(OH)₂(H₂O)₄
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7.5
- Density
- 2.83 g/cm³
- Streak
- Red
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Scientific Research
- Host rock
- Skarns
Where rockhounds find lipuite
Classic worldwide localities
- N'Chwaning III mine, Northern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa
Field-hunting tip
Look in skarns country, the host setting where lipuite typically forms. If you start seeing diopside, calcite, magnetite in float, you are in the right ground.
Common questions
How do you identify lipuite?+
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What rocks look like lipuite?+
What minerals are found with lipuite?+
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Find lipuite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
