Jadarite
A white earthy sodium-lithium borosilicate discovered in Serbia's Jadar basin — a potential lithium ore that briefly made headlines for matching Superman's kryptonite formula.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Jadarite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula LiNaB₃SiO₇(OH).
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/c).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 4–5; specific gravity 2.45; White. Weak pink-orange fluorescence under short- and long- streak; Porcelaneous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Jad, IMA status: approved, named in 2006.
Found in a sequence of interbedded oil-shales, dolomicrites and pyroclastic tuffaceous deposits of lacustrine basin fill and marine origin.
It is found associated with Calcite, dolomite, K-feldspar, rutile, albite, ilmenite, pyrite, fine-grained muscovite, searlesite.
The name refers to the Jadar Basin in Serbia, where the first samples were collected.