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Inderite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  MgB₃O₃(OH)₅·5(H₂O)  [Hydrated Magnesium Borate]

Discovered in 1937;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Inderite is named for Inder Lake, Kazakhstan, near which the first specimens were collected.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Borates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

5/H.06-20

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

6.CA.15

6 : BORATES
C : Triborates
A : Neso-triborates

Related to:

Kurnakovite - Solongoite Series. Dimorph of Kurnakovite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Monoclinic - Prismatic

Crystal Habit:

As long prismatic crystals with nearly square cross-section, to 30 cm; may be as aggregates of minute needles; reniform nodular, massive.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[010] Perfect, [110] Good

Fracture:

Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

2.5 - 3.0

Density:

1.80 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Insoluble in water. Readily soluble in warm, dilute HCl.

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless to White, Pink

Transparency:

Translucent to Transparent

Luster:

Vitreous to Pearly on cleavages, Dull, Greasy

Refractive Index:

1.488 - 1.505  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0170

Dispersion:

Weak; r > v

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Rarely as a primary mineral in lacustrine borate deposits.

Common Associations:

Hydroboracite (Inder deposit, Kazakhstan); Kurnakovite (Sarikaya, Turkey); Borax, Orpiment, Realgar, Ulexite (Boron, California, USA)

Type Locality:

Deposit No. 7, Kzyl Tau Mt, Inder B deposit and salt dome, Atyrau (Gur'yev), Atyrau Oblysy (Atyrau Oblast'), Kazakhstan

Year Discovered:

1937

View mineral photos:

Inderite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Inderite, also known as Lesserite, is a relatively rare borate mineral but extremely rare as a faceted gem. It is very soft and difficult to cut. Inderite is formed in Borate deposits in arid regions.

There are very few locations where Inderite can be found but only one source for gem quality crystals which is Boron, Kramer District, Kern County, California, USA.
 

  
Inderite gems for sale:

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