Vote for your favorite mineral in #MinCup26! - Azurite vs. Smithsonite
It's carbonate-vs-carbonate to kick off Mineral Cup 2026 with copper-rich Azurite against zinc-rich Smithsonite.
Log InRegister
Quick Links : The Mindat ManualThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMindat Newsletter [Free Download]
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic TimeExplore Fossils
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral QuizTime Machine
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Okieite

A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

About OkieiteHide

Formula:
Mg3[V10O28] · 28H2O
Colour:
Bright red to red orange to yellow orange
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
Specific Gravity:
2.20
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
The name okieite is for Craig (“Okie”) Howell of Naturita, Colorado.
An uncommon decavanadate species found as a post-mining mineral in sandstone-hosted uranium-vanadium deposits. Unstable outside of a humid environment and slowly dehydrates.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
53199
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:53199:5

Similar NamesHide

OakiteA synonym of Lithiophorite
OkaiteA rock classification type

Classification of OkieiteHide

00669880017683444897551.jpg
The Decavanadate Cluster

The decavanadate cluster found in okieite. The same cluster is known in a number of other secondary vanadium minerals including, for example, pascoite, hughesite, and wernerbaurite.

IMA Classification of OkieiteHide

Approved
IMA Formula:
[Mg3(H2O)18][V5+10O28]·10H2O
Approval year:
2018
First published:
2020
4.HC.50

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
C : [6]-Sorovanadates

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
OkiIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of OkieiteHide

Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Bright red to red orange to yellow orange
Streak:
Light orange yellow
Hardness:
1½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Conchoidal
Density:
2.20(2) g/cm3 (Measured)    2.186 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of OkieiteHide

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.720(3) nβ = 1.745(3) nγ = 1.765(3)
2V:
Measured: 84° (2), Calculated: 82.5°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.045
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Surface Relief:
Moderate
Dispersion:
Strong, r < v
Pleochroism:
Not Visible
Comments:
X Λ a = 37°, Y Λ c = 28°, Z Λ b = 31°

Chemistry of OkieiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Mg3[V10O28] · 28H2O
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O58.379 %
V33.192 %
Mg4.751 %
H3.678 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Crystallography of OkieiteHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.5566(2) Å, b = 10.7566(2) Å, c = 21.355(1) Å
α = 90.015(6)°, β = 97.795(7)°, γ = 104.337(7)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.981 : 1 : 1.985
Unit Cell V:
2,326.25 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of OkieiteHide

General Appearance of Type Material:
Equant to prismatic, commonly appearing like curving columns (up to about 3 mm in length) and often exhibiting rounded faces.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Cotype material is deposited in the mineralogical collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA, catalogue numbers 66784 and 66785 (Burro mine) and 66786 (Hummer mine)
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Synonyms of OkieiteHide

Other Language Names for OkieiteHide

Dutch:Okieiet
German:Okieit

Relationship of Okieite to other SpeciesHide

Other Members of Pascoite Family:
Ammoniolasalite[(NH4)2Mg2(H2O)20] [V10O28]Mon. 2/m : B2/b
BluestreakiteK4Mg2(V4+2V5+8O28) · 14H2OMon. 2/m
BurroiteCa2(NH4)2(V10O28) · 15H2OTric. 1 : P1
Caseyite[(V5+O2)Al10-x(OH)20-2x(H2O)18-2x]2[H2V4+V5+9O28][V5+10O28]2(Na,K,Ca)2-y(SO4)2-z · (60+8x+y+4z)H2O (x = 0-2.5; y = 0-2; z = 0-2)Mon.
Flatimerite[Al13(OH)24(H2O)24][V5+9V4+O28] · [(SO4)4(H2O)24]Tric. 1 : P1
GunteriteNa4Ca(V10O28) · 20H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
HuemuliteNa4Mg(V10O28) · 24H2OTric.
HughesiteNa3Al(V10O28) · 22H2OTric. 1 : P1
HummeriteK2Mg2(V10O28) · 16H2OTric. 1 : P1
HydropascoiteCa3(V10O28) · 24H2OTric. 1 : P1
KokinositeNa2Ca2(V10O28) · 24H2OTric. 1 : P1
LasaliteNa2Mg2(V10O28) · 20H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b
MagnesiopascoiteCa2Mg(V10O28) · 16H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
NashiteNa3Ca2[(V5+9V4+)O28] · 24H2OMon. 2/m : P21/m
PascoiteCa2Ca(V10O28) · 17H2OMon. 2 : B2
PostiteMg(H2O)6Al2(OH)2(H2O)8(V10O28) · 13H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pccn
Protocaseyite[Al4(OH)6(H2O)12][V10O28] · 8H2OTric. 1 : P1
Rakovanite(NH4)3Na3(V10O28) · 12H2OMon. 2/m
Schindlerite{(NH4)4Na2(H2O)10}{V10O28}Tric. 1 : P1
TrebiskyiteNa3Mg2[TiV9O28] · 22H2OMon. 2/m : P21/b
Wernerbaurite{(NH4)2[Ca2(H2O)14](H2O)2}{V10O28}Tric. 1 : P1

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
3 photos of Okieite associated with LasaliteNa2Mg2(V10O28) · 20H2O
1 photo of Okieite associated with HummeriteK2Mg2(V10O28) · 16H2O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

4.HC.Protocaseyite[Al4(OH)6(H2O)12][V10O28] · 8H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.Ammoniolasalite[(NH4)2Mg2(H2O)20] [V10O28]Mon. 2/m : B2/b
4.HC.BeckettiteCa2V6Al6O20Tric. 1 : P1
4.HC.05PascoiteCa2Ca(V10O28) · 17H2OMon. 2 : B2
4.HC.05HydropascoiteCa3(V10O28) · 24H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.05LasaliteNa2Mg2(V10O28) · 20H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b
4.HC.05HughesiteNa3Al(V10O28) · 22H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.05MagnesiopascoiteCa2Mg(V10O28) · 16H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
4.HC.05Rakovanite(NH4)3Na3(V10O28) · 12H2OMon. 2/m
4.HC.10HummeriteK2Mg2(V10O28) · 16H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.15SherwooditeCa5.5(AlV4+V5+12O39) · 28H2OTet. 4/mmm(4/m2/m2/m) : I41/amd
4.HC.20BluestreakiteK4Mg2(V4+2V5+8O28) · 14H2OMon. 2/m
4.HC.25Wernerbaurite{(NH4)2[Ca2(H2O)14](H2O)2}{V10O28}Tric. 1 : P1
4.HC.25BurroiteCa2(NH4)2(V10O28) · 15H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.30Caseyite[(V5+O2)Al10-x(OH)20-2x(H2O)18-2x]2[H2V4+V5+9O28][V5+10O28]2(Na,K,Ca)2-y(SO4)2-z · (60+8x+y+4z)H2O (x = 0-2.5; y = 0-2; z = 0-2)Mon.
4.HC.35GunteriteNa4Ca(V10O28) · 20H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
4.HC.40KokinositeNa2Ca2(V10O28) · 24H2OTric. 1 : P1
4.HC.45NashiteNa3Ca2[(V5+9V4+)O28] · 24H2OMon. 2/m : P21/m
4.HC.55PostiteMg(H2O)6Al2(OH)2(H2O)8(V10O28) · 13H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pccn
4.HC.60Schindlerite{(NH4)4Na2(H2O)10}{V10O28}Tric. 1 : P1

Fluorescence of OkieiteHide

Not fluorescent

Other InformationHide

Notes:
Rapidly soluble in H2O at room temperature. Dehydrates readily in air at low relative humidity.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for OkieiteHide

References for OkieiteHide

Localities for OkieiteHide

Showing 4 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
USA (TL)
 
  • Colorado
    • Montrose County
      • Paradox Valley
Hålenius et al. (2018) +1 other reference
    • San Miguel County
Hålenius et al. (2018)
  • Utah
    • San Juan County
      • La Sal Creek Mining District
Desor (04/2020)
      • La Sal Mining District
Joe Marty Collection
 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: September 1, 2026 16:24:21 Page updated: August 19, 2026 08:45:51
Go to top of page