Rarest Minerals List: 12 Rare Specimens and Why They Are Scarce
The rarest mineral on Earth is kyawthuite. Only one crystal is known, a 1.61-carat stone from Myanmar (Live Science). Below it sit painite, fingerite, edoylerite and many others, each scarce for a different reason. This list covers the best-known rare minerals, how mineralogists define rarity, and what separates a rare crystal in a museum from a rare specimen a collector can own.
TL;DR
- Kyawthuite is the rarest mineral: one known crystal, from Myanmar.
- Scientists count a mineral as rare when it is known from five or fewer localities. About 2,550 of 5,000+ approved species meet that test.
- Rare does not mean valuable. Rarity is measured by locality counts, not by price.
- Canada has a strong claim to rare minerals. Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, has more than 430 mineral species.
- For collectors, locality, quality, size and documentation matter as much as the name on the label.
Table of Contents
- How mineralogists define a rare mineral
- The rarest minerals list
- Rare minerals versus rare crystals and rare rocks
- Rare gem minerals
- Canada’s rare minerals
- Rare is not the same as valuable
- What to check in a rare specimen
- Starting a collection of uncommon minerals
- Rare and collector-grade specimens at Legacy Crystals and Minerals
- FAQ
- Sources
How mineralogists define a rare mineral
Lists of the rarest minerals differ because “rare” has more than one definition. The most cited one comes from a 2016 study in American Mineralogist by Robert Hazen and Jesse Ausubel. It treats a mineral as rare when it is documented from five or fewer localities worldwide, using locality data tabulated in Mindat.org. By that count, at least 2,550 of the 5,000+ approved mineral species are rare (American Mineralogist, 2016).
Other definitions use total crustal volume or total mass. Under those, some minerals known from several places still rank as scarce, because the combined amount is tiny. Many rare minerals have a known volume below 1 cm³ in total.
Two more figures from Hazen’s research help set the scale. About 22% of mineral species occur at only one locality, and about 65% are known from ten or fewer (Carnegie Science). Rarity is the normal state for minerals, not the exception.
Why a mineral ends up rare
The same study groups the causes into a few types:
- Restricted stability. The mineral forms only in a narrow window of temperature, pressure and chemistry.
- Rare ingredients. The recipe needs elements that seldom meet in the same place.
- Ephemeral phases. The mineral breaks down, dissolves or reacts quickly once exposed.
- Collection bias. The mineral may be more common than recorded, but few people have looked in the right place.
BBC News reported on the same research and noted that the right atomic ingredients, narrow temperature ranges and defined pressures act as a filter. That filter blocks most species from forming in most of the Earth’s crust (BBC News).
The rarest minerals list
The entries below are ordered from the most extreme cases to those a collector is more likely to see. Each has a short note on what makes it unusual.
1. Kyawthuite
One known crystal, 1.61 carats, found in the Mogok region of Myanmar. It is the standard answer to “what is the rarest mineral”. Little is known about it beyond that single stone (Live Science).
2. Painite
Painite is a borate mineral in which boron and zirconium are bonded together in nature. It appears as deep red hexagonal crystals, with some pinkish exceptions. English collector Arthur Pain acquired two crimson crystals in Myanmar in 1952, and the mineral carries his name. It is easier to find than it once was, but still rare, and its chemistry remains a puzzle for researchers (Live Science).
3. Fingerite
Fingerite is found only on the Izalco Volcano in El Salvador. Researchers describe it as a “perfect storm” of rarity, because it meets all four of Hazen’s criteria: restricted stability, rare ingredients, water-solubility and hazardous access to the site (Phys.org).
4. Edoylerite
Edoylerite decomposes when exposed to sunlight. That makes it hard to preserve and hard to study (BBC News). It is a clear example of an ephemeral mineral: it may form more often than records show, but it rarely survives to be catalogued.
5. Ichnusaite
Ichnusaite contains an unusual element pairing, molybdenum and thorium. Rare combinations of elements are one of the main routes to rarity (American Mineralogist, 2016).
6. Hochelagaite
Hochelagaite occurs at the Francon quarry and at Mont Saint-Hilaire in Quebec. Type material is held by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Royal Ontario Museum (Handbook of Mineralogy).
7. Carletonite
Carletonite has been found only at Mont Saint-Hilaire. It is one of the minerals that gives the locality its reputation among collectors and scientists (Canadian Museum of Nature).
8. Serandite
Serandite is rare worldwide, but Mont Saint-Hilaire produces world-class, large and high-quality crystals. The Royal Ontario Museum holds the largest twinned serandite crystal known (Royal Ontario Museum).
9. Proustite
Proustite is a red silver mineral. GIA’s Gübelin Gem Project lists a faceted 12.07 ct proustite from Chile, which shows how unusual it is to see this soft, light-sensitive mineral cut at all (GIA).
10 to 12. Grandidierite, jeremejevite and taaffeite
These three are the rare gem minerals most often named in collector circles. They are covered in more detail in the gemstone section below, because their rarity is partly a matter of gem-quality material and not only locality count.
Rare minerals versus rare crystals and rare rocks
The three words are not interchangeable, and search results mix them.
- Mineral. The USGS defines a mineral as a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound with an orderly internal structure and a characteristic chemical composition, crystal form and physical properties (USGS).
- Rock. An aggregate of one or more minerals, or of undifferentiated mineral matter (USGS). A rare rock is a rock type found in few places, such as an unusual igneous body.
- Crystal. A mineral whose atoms form an orderly three-dimensional pattern. It may show as a visible geometric crystal or as microscopic crystals and aggregates (The Canadian Encyclopedia).
A “rare crystal” is therefore usually a rare mineral that happens to form well-shaped crystals, or a common mineral in an unusually fine crystal form. Both can be prized, for different reasons. The guide on minerals versus gemstones explains why collectors often prefer uncut material.
Rare gem minerals
Gem lists such as the “10 rarest gemstones” pages that rank for this topic follow a different logic. They count the supply of cuttable, attractive stones and the demand for them. Typical entries include fancy colour diamonds, tanzanite, alexandrite, Paraíba tourmaline, natural pearls, ruby, sapphire and emerald.
A mineral can be rare as a species and unremarkable as a gem. Kyawthuite is the first case. A fine ruby is the second: ruby is a variety of the common mineral corundum, but top-quality stones are scarce.
For mineral collectors the two lists overlap only in part. A rough crystal group of a rare species can matter more than a cut stone. The reverse holds for jewellery buyers.
Canada’s rare minerals
Canada features in this topic more than most countries. The Canadian Museum of Nature describes Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, as recognized by collectors and scientists worldwide, with more than 430 distinct mineral species. In 2020 the museum acquired the Haineault collection, which holds over 8,000 specimens. Of these, 1,160 items are of outstanding significance and national importance, including rare and type specimens (Canadian Museum of Nature).
Serandite, carletonite and hochelagaite, listed above, all tie back to this locality. Ontario adds further type localities: the Royal Ontario Museum holds type material for several species first described in the province.
For three Canadian species with provenance and care notes, see the guide to museum grade Canadian minerals.
Rare is not the same as valuable
The search “how much is the rarest mineral” has no single answer. Mineralogical rarity is based on locality counts, not on commercial value. A mineral known from one tiny grain may have no market at all, because nothing can be sold.
Price for a collector specimen tends to follow a different set of factors:
- Aesthetics. Crystal form, colour, lustre and balance of the piece.
- Size and condition. Undamaged terminations and a clean matrix.
- Locality. Classic or closed localities carry weight, and so does a clear record of where the piece came from.
- Scarcity of good examples. Not scarcity of the species alone.
- Demand. Collector interest in that species or region.
A common mineral in an exceptional crystal can cost more than a rare mineral in a plain, microscopic form. More on this in the guide to five value drivers for museum grade minerals and the overview of what makes a mineral rare.
What to check in a rare specimen
This is the checklist for scientific, aesthetic or personal interest.
- Species identification. Is the name confirmed, or only assumed from appearance? Rare species often look like common ones. Tests by a lab or a museum mineralogist settle it.
- Locality. A specimen without a locality loses much of its worth. Locality links the piece to a geological setting. The explanation of how ground mineralization works shows why the surrounding ground matters when minerals are located and recorded.
- Condition. Look for damage, repairs, glue and stabilization. Some minerals, like edoylerite, change with light or humidity, and need correct storage.
- Aesthetics. Colour, form, contrast with the matrix and how the piece displays.
- Size. Thumbnail, miniature and cabinet sizes each have their own market. Rare species are often small.
- Documentation. Collection history, labels and earlier owners add to provenance.
- Grading. A shared vocabulary for quality helps compare pieces. See the mineral specimen grading guide.
For a wider view, what makes a mineral collectible covers appeal beyond rarity.
Starting a collection of uncommon minerals
No collector needs kyawthuite. A practical route to rare-leaning material:
- Start with a clear focus: a region, a species group or a colour.
- Learn the common species first. This makes unusual pieces easier to spot.
- Buy fewer, better specimens with a stated locality.
- Keep labels with each piece.
- Store light-sensitive or fragile pieces correctly.
The beginner’s guide to building a mineral collection goes through these steps. When a piece is bought online, the guide to shipping mineral specimens covers packing and handling. Fluorescence is another angle: some uncommon species react under UV light, see the fluorescent minerals guide.
Rare and collector-grade specimens at Legacy Crystals and Minerals
Legacy Crystals and Minerals sells museum-quality and collector-grade specimens, raw and polished stones, carvings and mineral jewelry to customers in Canada and elsewhere. Pieces are chosen for authenticity, rarity and display quality.
Relevant pages:
- Museum Quality Minerals and Crystals
- Top Shelf Collector Minerals
- Raw Minerals and Crystals
- Natural Raw Ruby Crystals in Calcite with Black Mica from Burma
- Rare Azurite Geode with Malachite Spheres, Anhui Province
Prices are shown on each product page.
FAQ
What is the rarest mineral in the world?
Kyawthuite. Only one crystal is known, 1.61 carats, from the Mogok region of Myanmar. Painite is often named second.
How many rare minerals are there?
Using the five-or-fewer-localities definition, at least 2,550 of the more than 5,000 approved mineral species are rare. About 22% occur at a single locality.
Are rare minerals always expensive?
No. Rarity is a count of localities, not a price. A rare species known only as microscopic grains may have no market, while a well-formed crystal of a more common species can cost more.
Which rare minerals come from Canada?
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, is the best-known source. Carletonite has been found only there, and it also yields serandite and hochelagaite. The locality has more than 430 mineral species.
Sources
- What is the rarest mineral on Earth? (Live Science)
- On the nature and significance of rarity in mineralogy (American Mineralogist)
- Earth’s mineralogy unique in the cosmos (Carnegie Science)
- Earth’s rarest minerals catalogued (BBC News)
- Beyond diamonds and gems (Phys.org)
- Hochelagaite (Handbook of Mineralogy)
- The Haineault Mont Saint-Hilaire Collection (Canadian Museum of Nature)
- Mineral of the month: serandite (Royal Ontario Museum)
- GIA’s Gübelin Gem Project
- What is the difference between a rock and a mineral? (USGS)
- Mineral (The Canadian Encyclopedia)
- Ground mineralization guide (Detectors Pro)
