Extremely rare white crystals of the new selenite mineral nestolaite (IMA 2013-074) associated to pink cobaltomenite. Nestolaite has only been found in one locality worldwide. Analysed specimen by Raman spectrocopy. From Little Eva Mine, Yellow Cat District, Grand County, Utah, United States of America. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nestolaite
Nestolaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula CaSeO₃·H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/c).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2.5; specific gravity 3.18; White streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Ntl, IMA status: approved, named in 2013.
Found as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of a uranium deposit of the Colorado Plateau type.
It is found associated with Cobaltomenite, gypsum, metarossite, orschallite, rossite.
The mineral was named to honor Fabrizio Nestola (b. 1972), Italian mineralogist and crystallographer, Department of Geosciences, University of Padua, Italy.