Grass green crystal aggregates of the rare nickel mineral otwayite from the type locality in Otway Nickel deposit (Otway Nickel Deposit, Nullagine, East Pilbara Shire, Western Australia, Australia). Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection specimen, from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Otwayite
A green hydrated nickel carbonate named for the Otway prospect in Western Australia.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Otwayite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the carbonate class, with the chemical formula Ni₂(CO₃)(OH)₂·H₂O.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system.
Key properties: specific gravity 3.41; Silky to waxy luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Otw, IMA status: approved, named in 1976.
Found in veinlets in serpentinite (Otway prospect, Western Australia; Lord Brassey mine, Tasmania, Australia).
It is found associated with Magnesite, pecoraite, gaspéite, paraotwayite, millerite, polydymite, nickeloan chrysotile, apatite (Otway deposit, Western Australia); theophrastite.
The mineral was named to honor Charles Albert Otway (1922–), prospector of Gosnells, Western Australia, owner of the Otway prospect.