Selivanovaite is a rare titanium silicate mineral found primarily in alkaline igneous environments. It typically appears as small dark orangeish platy crystals or granular masses within nepheline syenite pegmatites. It is highly sought after by systematic mineral collectors specializing in rare minerals from the Kola Peninsula.
Is this selivanovaite?
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 selivanovaite with a known reference. Selivanovaite sits at Mohs ~3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: brownish-white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to greasy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: dark orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: platy crystals, granular aggregates.
Often confused with
Selivanovaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Terskite is the harder of the two (Mohs ~5 vs. ~3); streak differs, so Selivanovaite leaves brownish-white, Terskite leaves white.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Selivanovaite leaves brownish-white, Lomonosovite leaves light rose-cinnamon.
Often found alongside selivanovaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with selivanovaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Fe□Ti₂Na□Ti₂(Si₂O₇)₂O₄(H₂O)₄
- Mohs hardness
- ~3
- Density
- 3.15 g/cm³
- Colors
- Dark orange
- Streak
- Brownish-white
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy crystals, granular aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {001}; weak on {110}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An accessory mineral in medium-grained trachytoid eudialyte malignite (modal Kfs40Nph30Aeg20Eud10) collected from drill core in a Ta-Nb-REE-Zr deposit in an alkaline massif
Where rockhounds find selivanovaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Mt. Kedykvyrpakhk, Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An accessory mineral in medium-grained trachytoid eudialyte malignite (modal Kfs40Nph30Aeg20Eud10) collected from drill core in a Ta-Nb-REE-Zr deposit in an alkaline massif. If you start seeing murmanite, loparite-, pyrochlore in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: platy crystals, granular aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify selivanovaite?+
Where is selivanovaite found?+
What rocks look like selivanovaite?+
What minerals are found with selivanovaite?+
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Find selivanovaite on the map
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