Olmiite

Olmiite forms a solid solution series with the much rarer mineral poldervaartite, meaning they have the same basic chemical formula, but there's an element substitution in one or more atomic sites.^[7] As mentioned before, the atomic arrangement of the two are similar, the only difference being is in the case of olmiite, all the Mn cations are ordered on the M2 site, while poldervaartite is Ca dominant at the M2 site, hence the poldervaartite name stays reserved.^[6] One would think that its type locality would help in the identification, however, they both can be found in the Wessels mine in South Africa.

A way to differentiate them is that olmiite shows more variety both in color, and in crystal habits.^[2] One way to identify it more easily is that the cream-colored olmiite specimens have a deep red fluorescence under shortwave UV light.^[3] However, without examining its chemical composition, it is near impossible to identify whether the specimen is an olmiite or a poldervaartite.^[5] Hence it must be tested by electron microprobe analysis, as they can only be differentiated by the percentage of calcium versus manganese they contain. Due to the similarities these minerals have, the discovery that most of the poldervaartites on the market are olmiites in fact is quite recent. National Gem Lab further argues that due to the mislabeling of olmiites, it is possible that there's no faceted poldervaartite gemstones in existence.^[7] Later analyses also revealed that the two minerals can be intimately intergrown and thus both can occur within one specimen.^[3]

Olmiite is a product of hydrothermal alteration.^[1] As such, it grows in manganese-rich hydrothermal replacement deposits.^[5] The crystals form by going through metamorphosis due to the hot hydrothermal fluids passing through a manganese deposit, adding silicon and calcium to the pre-existing elements.^[4] To this day, the only known locality of this mineral is in the Kalahari Manganese Field of South Africa. It has been found in both the Wessels Mine in Hotazel and in the N'Chwaning Mines in Kuruman within the Manganese Field's region. It is associated with calcite, manganite, bultfonteinite, oyelite,^[5] hematite, celestine, sturmanite, and poldervaartite,^[6] baryte, datolite,andradite, thaumasite, caryopilite and gageite.^[3] Not only is it a rare mineral, but rare as a gem as well, since most of the crystals are unsuitable for faceting.^[7] Due to its softness, it cannot be used in jewelries, so the faceted specimens are made for the collectors.^[4]