Sveite is an exceptionally rare cave-dwelling mineral found primarily in limestone environments where it forms delicate acicular or fibrous clusters. It is highly prized by collectors for its occurrence in subterranean micro-environments, often appearing as tiny white tufts within damp cave wall recesses.
Is this sveite?
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 sveite with a known reference. Sveite sits at Mohs ~1, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: aggregates, efflorescences, flakes.
Often confused with
Sveite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside sveite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sveite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KAl₇(NO₃)₄(OH)₁₆Cl₂·8H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~1
- Density
- 2.0 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, efflorescences, flakes
- Cleavage
- Probably on {001}, perfect
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- As crusts and efflorescences precipitated from solutions trickling onto cave roofs and walls
Where rockhounds find sveite
Classic worldwide localities
- A rock overhang at an unspecified locality in the northeastern San Joaquin Valley, California, USA
- Autana Cave, Amazonas Territory, Venezuela
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: As crusts and efflorescences precipitated from solutions trickling onto cave roofs and walls. If you start seeing quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, efflorescences, flakes. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify sveite?+
Where is sveite found?+
What rocks look like sveite?+
What minerals are found with sveite?+
What kind of rock does sveite form in?+
What is sveite used for?+
Find sveite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
