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Inderite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Inderite

  
Inderite is named for Inder Lake, Kazakhstan, near which the first specimens were collected.

Discovered in 1937;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

MgB3O3(OH)5 · 5(H2O)

 

Hydrated Magnesium Borate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

279.85 gm

Composition:

Magnesium

8.69 %

Mg

14.40 %

MgO

 

Boron

11.59 %

B

37.32 %

B2O3

 

Hydrogen

5.40 %

H

48.28 %

H2O

 

Oxygen

74.32 %

O

 

 

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

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:

Inyoite Group. Kurnakovite - Solongoite Series. Dimorph of Kurnakovite.

Members of Group:

Inyoite Group: Inderborite, Inderite, Inyoite, Kurnakovite, Meyerhofferite, Solongoite

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

Lesserite, Loesserite

 

 

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:

Perfect on {010}, Good on {110}

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

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)

Common Impurities:

None

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 because of its softness and perfect cleavage. 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:

We have not photographed our Inderite gems. Please check back soon.
 

 


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