Grey and pale yellow sakhaite associated to black ludwigite from the TL from sakhaite (Titovskoe B Deposit, Tas-Khayakhtakh, Dogdo River, Polar Yakutia, Sakha Republic, Russian Federation). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY 4.0
Sakhaite
Sakhaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the borate class, with the chemical formula Ca₄₈Mg₁₆(BO₃)₃₂(CO₃)₁₆·2(H₂O,HCl).
It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system (space group Fd3m). It is a member of the Harkerite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5; specific gravity 2.78–2.83; Vitreous to slightly greasy luster.
IMA symbol Skh, IMA status: approved, named in 1965.
Found in lenses replacing marble at the contact of a granitic massif with dolostone (Titovskoye deposit, Russia).
It is found associated with Kotoite, clinohumite, forsterite, suanite, spinel, ludwigite, borcarite, szaibélyite, sphalerite (Titovskoye deposit, Russia); szaibélyite, kotoite.
The name comes from Sakha, the Yakutian word for Yakutia [now Sakha].