Minerals from the Kalahari manganese fields of South Africa have become almost impossible to get hold of since the mine owners clamped down and forbade the miners to remove specimens. This is from the Nchwaning II mine.
Olmiite is a relatively new mineral, only being officially named as a new species by the IMA in 2006. To date, it is found only in the Kalahari Manganese Field of South Africa. It is unusual for a newly discovered mineral to form is such large and excellent examples, with many well-formed and highly aesthetic examples of this mineral.
Olmiite forms a solid solution series with the much rarer mineral Poldervaartite. Many specimens that had been labelled as Poldervaartite have in fact been Olmiite upon analysis. Olmiite is named after Filippo Olmi, an Italian mineralogist from Florence, Italy.
| Weight | 0.032 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 20 × 41 cm |