Inderite is very soft and difficult to cut, and only a few stones have been cut by hobbyists. There is plenty of cuttable material in existence, and although the material comes from only a few localities, it is not considered a great rarity. The surface of cut stones may become white and cloudy after cutting; care must be taken in storage and to dry the stones after cutting.
Optics: a = 1.486-1.489; β = 1.488-1.493; γ = 1.504-1.507.
Biaxial (+), 2V= 37-52°.
Occurrence: Borate deposits in arid regions.
Kern County, California: large crystals, often transparent. Inder borate deposit, Kazakhstan, USSR: as nodules in red clay.
Comments: Inderite is very soft and difficult to cut, and only a few stones have been cut by hobbyists. There is plenty of cuttable material in existence, and although the material comes from only a few localities, it is not considered a great rarity. The surface of cut stones may become white and cloudy after cutting; care must be taken in storage and to dry the stones after cutting.
Name: After the locality, Inder Lake, Kazakhstan, USSR.