Identification guide · Minerals
How to Identify Axinite
Axinite is recognized by its thin, wedge- or axe-shaped crystals with sharp edges, typically clove-brown, violet-brown, or grayish in color, and a vitreous luster. It has a white to pale streak, a hardness of about 6.5 to 7, and lacks distinct cleavage, breaking instead with a conchoidal to uneven fracture. Strong pleochroism, showing different hues from different viewing angles, offers a key diagnostic clue. It is sometimes confused with brown tourmaline, but axinite's flattened, bladed crystal shape differs sharply from tourmaline's rounded, striated prisms.
Axinite identification checklist
| Color | Clove-brown, Violet-brown, Honey-yellow, Gray, Blue (rare), Green (rare) | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| Transparency | Transparent to translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5–7 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Good on {100}, distinct on {001} | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal to uneven | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 3.27–3.35 | Heavier than it looks (specific gravity about 3.31). |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
Extra tests for Axinite
Glass check. Axinite shares a glassy luster and conchoidal fracture with man-made glass. Glass sits near Mohs 5.5 and often contains round gas bubbles, so a hardness test and a hand lens separate them.
Axinite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 6.5–7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Axinite vs Quartz →
Axinite is harder (Mohs 6.5–7) than Calcite (Mohs 3), so Axinite will scratch Calcite and not the other way round. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not. Axinite vs Calcite →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5–7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Axinite vs Albite →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5–7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Axinite vs Andalusite →
Axinite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Axinite?
Check the color (clove-brown, violet-brown, honey-yellow, and gray), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 6.5–7 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Axinite?
Axinite has a Mohs hardness of 6.5–7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Axinite and Quartz?
Axinite (Mohs 6.5–7, vitreous luster) and Quartz (Mohs 7, vitreous, greasy on fracture surfaces luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Axinite vs Quartz comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Axinite worth anything?
Entry-level Axinite specimens sell for around $2, typical collector pieces about $20, and premium examples $150 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Axinite?
Axinite is most often clove-brown, violet-brown, honey-yellow, and gray. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
