Gowerite Locality: Hard Scramble claim, Ryan, Black Mts, Death Valley National Park , Inyo Co., California ( Locality at mindat.org ) An extreme rarity from the borate deposits which Al and other southern Callifornia collectors frequented in their heyday, this is a rich, solid specimen of the rare borate species, gowerite. It can be easily trimmed into multiple specimens, all very rich. — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gowerite
Gowerite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the borate class, with the chemical formula Ca[B₅O₈(OH)][B(OH)₃]·3H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/a).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 2; White streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Gow, IMA status: approved, named in 1959.
A rare weathering product of colemanite and priceite.
It is found associated with Meyerhofferite, nobleite, hydroboracite, ulexite, ginorite, gypsum.
The mineral was named to honor Harrison Preston Gower (1890–1967), Mining Manager, U.S. Borax and Chemical Company, for his assistance to scientific studies of Death Valley borate deposits.