Wawayandaite is an exceptionally rare borosilicate mineral discovered within the famous zinc-manganese orebodies of the Franklin District in New Jersey. Collectors typically look for small, colorless to white tabular crystals occurring alongside other rare species in these complex skarn assemblages.
Is this wawayandaite?
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 wawayandaite with a known reference. Wawayandaite sits at Mohs ~1, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: pearly to dull.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: platy.
Often confused with
Wawayandaite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Hodgkinsonite is the harder of the two (Mohs <5 vs. ~1); luster reads pearly to dull on Wawayandaite and vitreous on Hodgkinsonite.
How to tell apart: Datolite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. ~1); luster reads pearly to dull on Wawayandaite and vitreous, rarely subresinous on fracture surface on Datolite.
Often found alongside wawayandaite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wawayandaite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₆Be₉Mn₂BSi₆O₂₃(OH,Cl)₁₅
- Mohs hardness
- ~1
- Density
- 3 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly to dull
- Transparency
- Transparent to opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Platy
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- A late-stage vein mineral on willemite-franklinite ore in a metamorphosed stratiform zinc deposit
Where rockhounds find wawayandaite
Classic worldwide localities
- Franklin, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A late-stage vein mineral on willemite-franklinite ore in a metamorphosed stratiform zinc deposit. If you start seeing willemite, friedelite, andradite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: platy. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find wawayandaite on the map
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