Northupite

specimen number:
1052535

location:
Searles Lake, San Bernardino Co., California, USA

description:
Interesting antique specimen for the species. A vial contains numerous crude crystals and masses of northupite. The size provided is the size of the vial. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video and dates to the early 20th century.

Northupite is a rare sodium magnesium chloro-carbonate mineral that typically forms in saline lacustrine environments. Geologically, it precipitates from highly concentrated brines in evaporated lake beds, often found in association with other evaporite minerals like trona, pirssonite, and gaylussite. It was first discovered in 1895 at Borax Lake in San Bernardino County, California, by C.H. Northup, for whom the mineral is named. The crystals belong to the isometric system and characteristically form sharp, well-defined octahedrons that can range from colorless and transparent to grayish or brownish due to inclusions of mud or organic matter. Because northupite is unstable in humid conditions and can slowly dissolve or dehydrate, specimens must be kept in controlled, dry environments.

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