Painite
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NamePainite
Chemical FormulaCaZrBAl9O18
Mohs Hardness8
Crystal Systemhexagonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagepoor/imperfect on {1010}
Fractureconchoidal to uneven
Specific Gravity4.01
Colorsreddish-brown, deep red, orange-red
Transparencytransparent to translucent
Type LocalityOhngaing (Ohn Gaing; Ohn Kai), Mogok, Sagaing District, Mandalay Division, Burma (Myanmar)
Mineral GroupBorates
Usescollector, jewelry
Associated Mineralsruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, phlogopite
Rarityvery-rare
Description
This specimen features small, reddish-brown to deep red painite crystals, appearing somewhat translucent with a vitreous luster, embedded within a darker matrix.
Geological Context
Painite forms in metamorphic rocks, typically in boron-rich environments, often associated with contact metamorphism in marble or skarn deposits. It is frequently found in alluvial deposits derived from these primary sources.
