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Gowerite

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Corkscrew mine, Corkscrew Canyon, Furnace Creek District, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA
© Elmar Lackner

Show Gowerite Photos (5)
Formula:
Ca[B
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)][B(OH)
 
3
]·3H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicHardness:3
This page provides mineralogical data about Gowerite.

Classification of Gowerite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/K.05-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.EC.10

6 : BORATES
E : Pentaborates
C : Phyllo-pentaborates
Dana 8th edition ID:26.5.8.1

26 : HYDRATED BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : Pentaborates
Hey's CIM Ref.:9.3.13

9 : Borates
3 : Borates of Ca and Sr
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Type Occurrence of Gowerite

Co-type Localities:De Bely mine, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA
Hard Scramble Claim, Black Mts, Furnace Creek District, Death Valley, Inyo Co., California, USA
Year of Discovery:1959

Physical Properties of Gowerite

Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Gowerite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 11.03Å, b = 16.4Å, c = 6.57Å
β = 90.93°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.673 : 1 : 0.401
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,188.30 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Gowerite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.484 nβ = 1.501 nγ = 1.550
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.066

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:r > v to r < v strong

Chemical Properties of Gowerite

Formula:
Ca[B
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)][B(OH)
 
3
]·3H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ba, Ca, H, O
All elements listed in formula:B, Ca, H, O

Relationship of Gowerite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.EC.05Biringuccite
Na
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)·H
 
2
O
6.EC.05Nasinite
Na
 
4
B
 
10
O
 
17
·5H
 
2
O
6.EC.15P-Veatchite
6.EC.15Veatchite
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
·H
 
2
O
6.EC.20Volkovskite
KCa
 
4
[B
 
5
O
 
8
OH]
 
4
[B(OH)
 
3
]
 
2
Cl·4H
 
2
O
6.EC.25Tuzlaite
NaCaB
 
5
O
 
8
(OH)
 
2
·3H
 
2
O
6.EC.30Heidornite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
3
B
 
5
O
 
8
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl(OH)
 
2
6.EC.35Brianroulstonite
Ca
 
3
[B
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
6
](OH)Cl
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
9.3.1Calciborite
Ca[B
 
2
O
 
4
]
9.3.2Sibirskite
Ca
 
2
[B
 
2
O
 
5
] · H
 
2
O
9.3.3Fabianite
CaB
 
3
O
 
5
OH
9.3.4Uralborite
Ca
 
2
[B
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
5
·OB(OH)
 
3
]
9.3.5Vimsite
CaB
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
4
9.3.6Olshanskyite
Ca
 
3
[OH|{B(OH)
 
4
}
 
2
]
 
2
9.3.7Frolovite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
9.3.8Korzhinskite
CaB
 
2
O
 
4
·H
 
2
O
9.3.9Tyretskite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
9
OH·H
 
2
O
9.3.10Nifontovite
CaB
 
2
O
 
4
·2.3H
 
2
O
9.3.12Inyoite
Ca(H
 
4
B
 
3
O
 
7
)(OH) · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.14Colemanite
Ca[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
9.3.15Pentahydroborite
CaB
 
2
O(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
9.3.16Hexahydroborite
Ca[B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
9.3.17Meyerhofferite
Ca
 
2
(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
9.3.18Priceite
Ca
 
2
B
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
5
·H
 
2
O
9.3.19Ginorite
Ca
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
·8H
 
2
O
9.3.20Probertite
NaCaB
 
5
O
 
7
(OH)
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
9.3.21Ulexite
NaCa[B
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
6
] · 5H
 
2
O
9.3.22Hydroboracite
CaMg[B
 
3
O
 
4
(OH)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
9.3.23Inderborite
CaMg(H
 
3
B
 
3
O
 
7
)
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
9.3.24Wardsmithite
Ca
 
5
Mg[B
 
4
O
 
7
]
 
6
 · 30H
 
2
O
9.3.25Henmilite
Ca
 
2
Cu[(OH)
 
2
|B(OH)
 
4
]
 
2
9.3.26Strontioborite
SrB
 
8
O
 
11
(OH)
 
4
9.3.27Veatchite
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
·H
 
2
O
9.3.28Veatchite-A
Sr
 
2
B
 
11
O
 
16
(OH)
 
5
·H
 
2
O
9.3.29 P-Veatchite
9.3.30 Balavinskite
Sr
 
2
B
 
6
O
 
11
·4H
 
2
O
9.3.31Tunellite
SrB
 
6
O
 
9
(OH)
 
2
·3H
 
2
O
9.3.32Strontioginorite
(Sr,Ca)
 
2
B
 
14
O
 
23
·8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Gowerite

Other Languages:
German:Gowerit
Russian:Гоуерит
Spanish:Gowerita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Gowerite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1959): 44: 911-919.

American Mineralogist (1960): 45: 230.

Konnert, J.A., J.R. Clark & C.L. Christ (1972), Gowerite, CaB5O8(OH)•B(OH)3•3H2O: crystal structure and comparison with related borates: American Mineralogist: 57: 381-396.

Mineralogical Magazine (1962): 33: 260.

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

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Internet Links for Gowerite

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    Localities for Gowerite

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    South Africa
     
    • Northern Cape Province
      • Kalahari manganese fields
        • Hotazel
    		Minerals of South Africa
        • N'Chwaning Mines
    		[Von Bezing, K. L. et al. (1991) - The Kalahari (Afrique du Sud) manganese field : an update, Mineralogical Record, 22 (3), 279-302.]
    Minerals of South Africa
    USA
     
    • California
      • Inyo Co.
        • Death Valley
          • Furnace Creek District
            • Black Mts
              • Gower Gulch
    		www.mineralsocal.org
    American Mineralogist (1979): 64(3-4): 369-375.
    Am Min 64:3-4 pp 369-375
            • Corkscrew Canyon
    		No reference listed
    Mineral and/or Locality
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