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Bavenite

Named for the type locality at Baveno in the Seula mine in Piedmont, Italy. Bavenite is an uncommon mineral that occurs “as druses in miarolitic cavities in granite and associated pegmatites, formed by the alteration of beryl and other beryllium-bearing minerals, [and] also in hydrothermal veins and skarn.” Localities include in, additionally, the Czech Republic, Norway, Switzerland, the United States, Australia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and a number of others. Bavenite is weakly piezoelectric and generates a charge in response to pressure.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/bavenite.pdf
- Formula
- Ca4Be2Al2Si9O26(OH)2
- Crystal System
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal Habit
- Lamellar, Massive - Lamellar, Radial
- Cleavage
- Perfect, Fair, None
- Luster
- Vitreous - Pearly
- Color
- white, green, pink, brown
- Streak
- white
- Class
- Orthorhombic - Pyramidal
- Fracture
- Uneven
- Hardness
- 5.5
- WebMineral
- View Bavenite
- Mindat
- View Bavenite
Bavenite from Foote mine, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, United States

Bavenite is chiefly a pegmatitic mineral mostly because this is where the most beryllium minerals are found. Although it is also found in skarns and hydrothermal veins. This specimen contains numerous snow white sprays of bladed Bavenite crystals to 1mm scattered amongst Albite crystals and what I believe to be Switzerite (golden brown).
Bavenite from Londonderry Lithium deposit, Western Australia, Australia

Pearly thin plates radiating along cleavelandite Albite fractures.
Bavenite from Prehnitinsel, Kratzenberg, Habach valley, Salzburg, Austria
Rich specimen with fibrous-looking but brittle, acicular and bladed crystals to 1mm good visible areas all about colorless or white tabular Prehnite crystals.
Bavenite from Nordre Boksjø quarry, Idd, Halden, Østfold, Norway
Rich specimen of tiny white pearly plates to 0.5mm on corroded. Ex. Claus Hedegaard collection (see prov. tab).
Bavenite from Ermakovskoe Be deposit, Buryatia, Siberia, Russia
Beautiful pearly white, bladed divergent groups of Bavenite to 5mm.