Metaborite
Metaborite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the borate class, with the chemical formula HBO₂.
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group P-43n).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 2.47; Vitreous luster.
IMA symbol Mbo, IMA status: approved, named in 1964.
Found in fine-grained halite in a salt dome (Chalkar salt dome, Kazakhstan).
It is found associated with Halite, anhydrite, kieserite, preobrazhenskite, boracite, aksaite, ginorite, hilgardite, strontioborite, halurgite (Chalkar salt dome, Kazakhstan).
Its name comes from the Greek meta, as a lesser hydrate than orthoboric acid.
Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet.
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