Home > Kalahari Manganese Field – March 18 > MS0897 Charlesite

Charlesite - Sold


Charlesite is a calcium aluminum borate sulfate mineral with a substantial water content (48%). The mineral name honors Charles Palache, famous mineralogist at Harvard University (Dunn et al. 1983). Charlesite is rather rare in the Kalahari Manganese Field, and is characteristically quite pale. This crystal is off white, perhaps best described as eggshell color, so it certainly does not contain much manganese. This is a single crystal, detached at the base, with a bit of adhering matrix towards the base. This specimen carries a Carlton Davis collection label.