The facts
What nifontovite actually is
Nifontovite is classified as calcium borate, with the composition Ca₃B₆O₆(OH)₁₂·2H₂O. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from colourless to pale grey; no chromophore, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.573–1.585. Specific gravity around 2.35–2.36. Cleavage: good in one direction. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where nifontovite comes from
Nifontovite is produced at Charcas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Novofrolovskoye, Ural Mountains, Russia and Fuka, Okayama, Japan.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How nifontovite is treated
Untreated. Water-soluble over time in humid conditions, so specimens need dry storage. Occasionally faceted from Mexican skarn material.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What nifontovite is confused with
In the trade nifontovite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Colemanite, Danburite or Calcite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.573–1.585 and specific gravity 2.35–2.36 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What nifontovite is used for
Demand for nifontovite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 3.5–5; cleavage good in one direction. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What nifontovite costs
As a guide, nifontovite trades around Faceted stones 100–500 USD/ct; specimens 40–300 USD.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is nifontovite treated, and how?
Untreated. Water-soluble over time in humid conditions, so specimens need dry storage. Occasionally faceted from Mexican skarn material.
Where does nifontovite come from?
Charcas, San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Novofrolovskoye, Ural Mountains, Russia and Fuka, Okayama, Japan. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is nifontovite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3.5–5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does nifontovite cost?
Indicatively Faceted stones 100–500 USD/ct; specimens 40–300 USD. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is nifontovite confused with?
Most often Colemanite, Danburite and Calcite. A refractive index of 1.573–1.585 and a specific gravity near 2.35–2.36 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for nifontovite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about nifontovite