New Acquisitions - Pentahydroborite and Nifontovite
- Photography by Ken Larsen. Gift of Yuko Tanaka, 2009.
Pentahydroborite is a very rare borate mineral. It is a soft stone, only 2.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. It typically has a vitreous luster and is transparent and colorless. It has been found in Japan, Russia, and Serbia. Pentahydroborite is extremely difficult to facet, and the rough is usually not suitable for cutting. This is the first pentahydroborite for the National Gem Collection, and one of only two faceted gemstones known to exist.
- Photography by Ken Larsen. Gift of Yuko Tanaka, 2009.
Nifontovite is also a very rare borate mineral. It is a soft stone, only 3.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. Nifontovite is transparent and typically colorless or gray with a vitreous luster. It was discovered in 1961 and named for the Russian geologist, Roman V. Nifontov (1901-1960). Nifontovite has been found in Russia, Mexico, and Japan. It is the first nifontovite for the National Gem Collection.
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