Some white crystal aggregates of the very rare Mg-borate mineral shabynite from the TL (Korshunovskoye, Zheleznogorsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russian Federation) and only known locality wordwide, in a capsule. Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY 4.0
Shabynite
Shabynite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the borate class, with the chemical formula Mg₅(BO₃)(OH)₅Cl₂·4H₂O.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 2.32; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Sby, IMA status: approved, named in 1979.
Occurs as veinlets in a brecciated dolomitic marble in a skarn magnetite deposit.
It is found associated with Dolomite, korshunovskite, ekaterinite, dashkovaite, iowaite, halite.
The mineral was named to honor Leonid Ivanovich Shabynin (1909–), Russian geologist, specialist in skarn deposits, Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrology, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry.