Colinowensite is a rare barium copper silicate that forms purple to dark blue crystals. It occurs in a hydrothermally-altered sedimentary manganese deposit. It was first described from the central-eastern ore body of the Wessels mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Is this colinowensite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch colinowensite with a known reference. Colinowensite sits at Mohs ~4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: purple.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: purple, dark blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: crystals.
Often confused with
Colinowensite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside colinowensite
Minerals reported to co-occur with colinowensite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- BaCuSi₂O₆
- Mohs hardness
- ~4
- Density
- 4.20 g/cm³
- Streak
- Purple
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Crystals
- Cleavage
- Good on {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In a hydrothermally-altered sedimentary manganese deposit
Where rockhounds find colinowensite
Classic worldwide localities
- Central-eastern ore body of the Wessels mine, Northern Cape Province, South Africa
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In a hydrothermally-altered sedimentary manganese deposit. If you start seeing pectolite, quartz, aegirine in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify colinowensite?+
Where is colinowensite found?+
Is colinowensite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like colinowensite?+
What minerals are found with colinowensite?+
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Find colinowensite on the map
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