Howieite
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About Howieite
Formula:
Na(Fe,Mn)10(Fe,Al)2Si12O31(OH)13
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named by Stewart Olof Agrell, Michael G. Bown, and Duncan McKie in 1964 in honour of Prof. Robert Andrew Howie (4 June 1923, Olney, Buckinghamshire, England, UK - 10 March 2012, Derby, England, UK), British petrologist and mineralogist of King's College, London University, United Kingdom. Prof. Howie was one of the authors of the Rock-Forming Minerals book series (Deer, Howie and Zussman).
This page provides mineralogical data about Howieite.
Classification of Howieite
Approved
Approval year:
1964
8/F.16-20
9.DH.65
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
H : Inosilicates with 4-periodic single chains, Si4O12
69.2.3.1
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
69 : INOSILICATES Chains with Side Branches or Loops
2 : Chains with Side Branches or Loops with P>2
16.16.13
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
16 : Aluminosilicates of Mn
16 : Silicates Containing Aluminum and other Metals
16 : Aluminosilicates of Mn
Optical Data of Howieite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.701 nβ = 1.720 nγ = 1.734
2V:
Measured: 65° , Calculated: 80°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.033

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
High
Dispersion:
weak
Chemical Properties of Howieite
Formula:
Na(Fe,Mn)10(Fe,Al)2Si12O31(OH)13
IMA Formula:
Na(Fe2+,Fe3+,Al,Mg)12(Si6O17)2(O,OH)10
Common Impurities:
Ca,Mg,Ti
Crystallography of Howieite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.17 Å, b = 9.72 Å, c = 9.56 Å
α = 91.3°, β = 70.7°, γ = 109°
α = 91.3°, β = 70.7°, γ = 109°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.046 : 1 : 0.984
Unit Cell V:
839.50 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0000396 | Howieite | Wenk H R (1974) Howieite, a new type of chain silicate American Mineralogist 59 86-97 | ![]() | 1974 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Geological Environment
Geological Setting:
Iron-rich metasediments from the blueschist facies of metamorphism.
Type Occurrence of Howieite
Synonyms of Howieite
Other Language Names for Howieite
Relationship of Howieite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Deerite | (Fe,Mn)6(Fe,Al)3[Si6O17]O3(OH)5 | Mon. |
Johninnesite | Na2Mn2+9Mg7(OH)8[AsO4]2[Si6O17]2 | Tric. |
Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)12Si12(O,OH)44 | Tric. |
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
2 photos of Howieite associated with Zussmanite | K(Fe,Mg,Mn)13(Si,Al)18O42(OH)14 |
1 photo of Howieite associated with Pumpellyite-(Mg) | Ca2MgAl2[Si2O6OH][SiO4](OH)2(OH) |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
9.DH. | Bavsiite | Ba2V2O2[Si4O12] | Tet. 4/m : I4/m |
9.DH.05 | Leucophanite | NaCaBeSi2O6F | Orth. 2 2 2 : P21 21 21 |
9.DH.10 | Ohmilite | Sr3(Ti,Fe3+)(Si4O12)(O,OH) · 2-3H2O | Mon. |
9.DH.15 | Haradaite | SrVSi2O7 | Orth. |
9.DH.15 | Suzukiite | BaVSi2O7 | Orth. |
9.DH.20 | Batisite | BaNaNaTi2(Si4O12)O2 | Orth. |
9.DH.20 | Shcherbakovite | (K,Ba)KNa(Ti,Nb)2(Si4O12)O2 | Orth. |
9.DH.25 | Taikanite | Sr3BaMn2+2(Si4O12)O2 | Mon. |
9.DH.30 | Krauskopfite | BaSi2O5 · 3H2O | Mon. |
9.DH.35 | Balangeroite | (Mg,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn2+)42Si16O54(OH)40 | Mon. |
9.DH.35 | Gageite | Mn21(Si4O12)2O3(OH)20 | Mon. 2/m |
9.DH.40 | Aenigmatite | Na4[Fe2+10Ti2]O4[Si12O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Dorrite | Ca4(Mg3Fe3+9)O4(Si3Al8Fe3+O36) | Tric. |
9.DH.40 | Høgtuvaite | Ca4[Fe2+6Fe3+6]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Krinovite | Na2Mg4Cr3+2(Si6O18)O2 | Tric. |
9.DH.40 | Makarochkinite | (Ca,Na)4[Fe2+8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si8Be2Al2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Rhönite | Ca4[Mg8Fe3+2Ti2]O4[Si6Al6O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Serendibite | Ca4[Mg6Al6]O4[Si6B3Al3O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Welshite | Ca4Mg9Sb3O4[Si6Be3AlFe2O36] | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.40 | Wilkinsonite | Na2Fe2+4Fe3+2(Si6O18)O2 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
9.DH.45 | Sapphirine | Mg4(Mg3Al9)O4[Si3Al9O36] | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.DH.50 | Khmaralite | (Mg,Al,Fe)16[(Al,Si,Be)12O36]O4 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
9.DH.55 | Surinamite | (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16 | Mon. |
9.DH.60 | Deerite | (Fe,Mn)6(Fe,Al)3[Si6O17]O3(OH)5 | Mon. |
9.DH.65 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)12Si12(O,OH)44 | Tric. |
9.DH.70 | Johninnesite | Na2Mn2+9Mg7(OH)8[AsO4]2[Si6O17]2 | Tric. |
9.DH.75 | Agrellite | NaCa2Si4O10F | Tric. |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
69.2.3.2 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)12Si12(O,OH)44 | Tric. |
69.2.3.3 | Deerite | (Fe,Mn)6(Fe,Al)3[Si6O17]O3(OH)5 | Mon. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
16.16.1 | Kanonaite | Mn3+Al(SiO4)O | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnnm |
16.16.2 | Spessartine | Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3 | Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Ia3d |
16.16.3 | Davreuxite | MnAl6Si4O17(OH)2 | Mon. |
16.16.4 | Sursassite | Mn2+2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)3 | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
16.16.5 | Carpholite | Mn2+Al2(Si2O6)(OH)4 | Orth. |
16.16.6 | Kellyite | Mn2+2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4 | Hex. 6 : P63 |
16.16.7 | Pennantite | Mn2+5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8 | Tric. |
16.16.8 | Akatoreite | Mn2+9Al2Si8O24(OH)8 | Tric. |
16.16.9 | Ganophyllite | (K,Na,Ca)2Mn8(Si,Al)12(O,OH)32 · 8H2O | Mon. |
16.16.10 | Mangano-ferri-eckermannite | {Na}{Na2}{Mn2+4Fe3+}Si8O22(OH)2 | Mon. |
16.16.11 | Masutomilite | (K,Rb)(Li,Mn3+,Al)3(AlSi3O10)(F,OH)2 | Mon. |
16.16.14 | Eggletonite | (Na,K,Ca)2(Mn,Fe)8(Si,Al)12O29(OH)7 · 11H2O | Mon. |
16.16.15 | Bannisterite | (Ca,K,Na)(Mn2+,Fe2+)10(Si,Al)16O38(OH)8 · nH2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
16.16.16 | Taneyamalite | (Na,Ca)(Mn,Mg,Fe)12Si12(O,OH)44 | Tric. |
16.16.17 | Zussmanite | K(Fe,Mg,Mn)13(Si,Al)18O42(OH)14 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
16.16.18 | Coombsite | KMn2+13(Si,Al)18O42(OH)14 | Trig. |
16.16.19 | Henritermierite | Ca3Mn3+2(SiO4)2[◻(OH)4] | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/acd |
16.16.20 | Macfallite | Ca2Mn3+3(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)3 | Mon. |
16.16.21 | Ottrélite | (Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Al2(SiO4)O(OH)2 | Mon. |
16.16.22 | Piemontite | {Ca2}{Al2Mn3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
16.16.23 | Okhotskite | Ca2Mn2+Mn3+2[Si2O6OH][SiO4](OH)2(OH) | Mon. |
16.16.24 | Pumpellyite-(Mn2+) | Ca2Mn2+Al2[Si2O6OH][SiO4](OH)2(OH) | Mon. |
16.16.25 | Piemontite-(Sr) | {CaSr}{Al2Mn3+}(Si2O7)(SiO4)O(OH) | Mon. |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Howieite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Agrell, S.O. (1964) Deerite, howieite, and zussmanite, three new minerals from the Franciscan of the Laytonville district, Mendocino County, California (title only): American Mineralogist: 49.
Agrell, S.O., M.G. Bown & McKie (1965), Deerite, howieite and zussmanite, three new minerals from the Franciscan of the Laytonville district, Mendocino County, California: American Mineralogist: 50: 278.
Boerner, U. (1969), Deerit, Howieit und Zussmanit, neue seltene Mineralien von einen Steinbruch bei Laytonville in Nord-Kalifornien: Aufschluss: 20: 338-341.
Wenk, H.R. (1974) Howieite, a new type of chain silicate. American Mineralogist: 59: 86-97.
Internet Links for Howieite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1935.html
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Localities for Howieite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Canada | |
| Ghent, E.D., Stout, M.Z., erdmer, P. (1990) Howieite in blueschists, Pinchi Lake, British Columbia. Canadian Mineralogist, 28, 855-858. |
Japan | |
| Royal Ontario Museum specimen; Yamada, S. (2004) Nihonsan-koubutsu Gojuon-hairetsu Sanchi-ichiranhyou (111 pp.) |
| Matsubara, S. & Kato, A. (1989) Manganbabingtonite from Mitani, Kochi City, Japan. Bulletin of the National Science Museum (Tokyo), 15, #3, 81-89. |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370; from: Aoki, Y. and Isono K., (1968) J. Geol. Soc. Jap. 74, 136. |
Kosovo | |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. |
USA (TL) | |
| Agrell, S.O. (1964), Deerite, howieite, and zussmanite, three new minerals from the Franciscan of the Laytonville district, Mendocino County, California (title only), Am.Min.: 49; CM 28 (1990), 855; HB2/1 (1995); Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370.; Robert Muir Wood (1982) The Laytonville Quarry (Mendocino County California) Exotic Block: Iron-rich Blueschist-Facies Subduction-Zone Metamorphism. Mineralogical Magazine 45:87-99. |
| RRUFF specimen |
Anonymous (1964), Three new minerals from California (deerite, howieite, and zussmanite): California Division of Mines and Geology, Mineral Information Service: 17: 138; USGS MRDS database (2005), loc. file ID #10286314 & 10031493. | |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. |
| Erd, R.C. and Y. Ohashi (1981) Santaclaraite, a new manganese silicate from California, American Mineralogist; Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 414; American Mineralogist (1984): 69: 200-206. |
Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. | |
| Pemberton, H. Earl (1983), Minerals of California; Van Nostrand Reinholt Press: 433, 493. |
Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. | |
| Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370. |
| Handbook of Mineralogy; Wood, R. W. (1979) The iron-rich blueschist facies minerals: 2. Howieite. Mineralogical Magazine 43:363-370.; Robert Muir Wood (1982) The Laytonville Quarry (Mendocino County California) Exotic Block: Iron-rich Blueschist-Facies Subduction-Zone Metamorphism. Mineralogical Magazine 45:87-99. |
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New Covelo Road roadcuts, North of Longvale, Longvale, Coastal Range, Mendocino Co., California, USA