Outstanding white acicular crystals of the extremely rare borate mineral wardsmithite from the type locality (Death Valley, California, United States of America) and one of the only 5 known localities worldwide. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wardsmithite
Wardsmithite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the borate class, with the chemical formula Ca₅Mg(B₄O₇)₆·30H₂O.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2.5; specific gravity 1.85–1.88; Vitreous luster; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Wsm, IMA status: approved, named in 1967.
A rare weathering product of priceite and colemanite.
It is found associated with Gowerite, ulexite, nobleite, colemanite (Death Valley, California, USA).
In honor of Ward Cromwell Smith (1906–1998), geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA, who studied southwestern U.S. borate occurrences.