carnikite

Carnikite is not a formally recognized mineral species in major mineral databases or in the IMA list of mineral names. In contemporary mineralogy, the term does not appear as a valid mineral and is generally regarded as a misspelling or informal variant of carnallite, a hydrated potassium magnesium chloride mineral with the formula KMgCl3·6H2O.

Because carnikite is not an established name, descriptions found under that label are inconsistent and often refer to carnallite instead. For context, carnallite is a hydrated halide mineral that forms in evaporite environments from concentrated saline brines. It is typically colorless to white, has a vitreous luster, and Mohs hardness around 2.5. It can be readily dissolved in water and is economically important as a source of potash after processing.

In practice, carnallite occurrences are associated with evaporite basins and are commonly found alongside other evaporite minerals such as halite and sylvite. Industrially, carnallite-bearing rocks are mined and processed to extract potassium and magnesium salts for fertilizer production. The mineral is generally discussed in relation to carnallite rather than as a separate, valid mineral species.

Because carnikite lacks a clear, independent definition in authoritative sources, citations that use the name should be checked against the context to determine whether carnallite (KMgCl3·6H2O) is the intended reference. In most cases, the term is best treated as a misnomer or historical variant for carnallite.