Haiweeite

specimen number:
2354260

location:
Haiwee Reservoir, Inyo Co., California, USA

description:
Tiny yellow acicular crystals of haiweeite on matrix. Collected by Jack Nieburger in 1971.

The geology around Haiwee Reservoir in Inyo County, California, features granitic and volcanic rock units associated with the Coso Range and Owens Valley, where hydrothermal activity and near-surface oxidation concentrated various rare elements. During the mid-twentieth century, uranium prospecting and small-scale mining activities in this arid region led to the discovery of unique secondary minerals filling fracture surfaces in the granitic host rocks. Among these discoveries was the rare mineral haiweeite, first described in 1959 and named after the nearby reservoir. It typically forms pale yellow or greenish-yellow spherulitic aggregates and flakelike coatings, making it a notable target for specialized mineral collectors interested in rare radioactive species.

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