How do I identify Otavite?

Otavite can be identified by its hardness of 3.5 - 4 on the Mohs scale, White to yellow-brown or reddish color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Otavite?

Otavite typically appears in White to yellow-brown or reddish. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

Otavite has a hardness of 3.5 - 4 on the Mohs scale. This gives it moderate hardness.

Otavite

A variety of Minerals

What is Otavite?

Otavite is a rare cadmium carbonate mineral with the formula CdCO3. Otavite crystallizes in the trigonal system and forms encrustations and small scalenohedral crystals that have a pearly to adamantine luster. The color is white to reddish to yellow brown. Its Mohs hardness is 3.5 to 4 and the specific gravity is 5.04. Associated minerals include azurite, calcite, malachite, and smithsonite. It was first described in 1906 from the Tsumeb district near Otavi, Namibia.