ROWEITE



Roweite is a calcium manganese boron hydroxide mineral and the Mn-analogue of fedorovskite. The only extant chemical analysis, given by Berman and Gonyer (1937), yielded MnO 28.48, MgO 1.67, ZnO 3.15, CaO 25.55, B2O3 32.59, H2O 8.56, total = 100.0 wt. % (recalculated after subtraction of insoluble residue). This analysis has approximately 4 % less H2O than required by the formula proposed by Aristarain et al. (1974) and Moore and Araki (1974).
Subsequent DTA-TGA analysis obtained by [Dunn] yielded 11.9 wt. % H2O, in very close agreement with the value (12.18 wt. %) required by the structural formula. Microprobe analysis by [Dunn] showed the numbers of octahedral cations, on the basis of a total of 4, to be: Ca1.91Mg0.16Zn0.04Mn1.89. A separate analysis for boron yielded 30.2 wt. %, in close agreement with the value of 31.38 wt. % required by the structural formula. These analyses confirm the crystal structure determination of Moore and Araki (1974) and indicate that Berman and Gonyer's data were slightly in error.
Roweite was first described from Franklin by Berman and Gonyer (1937). It was restudied and redefined by Aristarain et al. (1974). It has not been reported from Sterling Hill.
The crystal structure of roweite was described by Moore and Araki (1974) as having condensed Mn-O octahedra linked by sharing edges and corners to form [Mn2+(OH)2O] sheets. Borax-like [B4O7(OH)2] polyanions are located between the sheets.
According to Aristarain et al. (1974), roweite occurs as 5 mm, light-brown, lath-shaped crystals, elongate and tabular. The luster is vitreous, and the mineral is very brittle, forming tabular fragments. The hardness is 4 1/2. There is no discernible fluorescence in ultraviolet.
Roweite occurs as lath-like crystals, in part replacing calcite and intimately associated with clinochrysotile (Aristarain et al., 1974). These minerals occur in a vein in franklinite, zincite, and willemite. It is a rare mineral locally. (Dunn, 1995)


 Location Found: Franklin (Type Locality)
     
 
 Year Discovered: 1937
     
 Formula: Ca2Mn22+B4O7(OH)6
 Essential Elements: Boron, Calcium, Hydrogen, Manganese, Oxygen
 All Elements in Formula: Boron, Calcium, Hydrogen, Manganese, Oxygen
     
 IMA Status: Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
     
     
 To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link   Roweite

     
 References:
Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.641

Frondel, Clifford (1972). The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, a checklist. NY.: John Willey & Sons. p.74


The Picking Table References
 PT Issue and PageDescription / Comment
View IssueV. 17, No. 1 - March 1976, pg. 10Post Palache Mineral Review - Roweite
View IssueV. 15, No. 2 - August 1974, pg. 17Other Mineral Notes - Roweite
View IssueV. 9, No. 1 - February 1968, pg. 16The Exclusive Minerals of Franklin/Ogdensburg, N.J. (as of January 1968) by Frank Z. Edwards - Roweite (Short Note)
     
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