BOWENITE-Official State Mineral of Rhode Island
A variety of chrysotile serpentine that is massive shaped and composed of densely packed
colorless fibers and is a serpentine mineral relative of jade, aka Nephrite and Rhode
Island jade. It was first called Nephrite by by Mead in 1822. Mead described it as almost
impossible to break with a hardness of 6. It has a waxy lustre sometimes translucent
appearance and ranges from opaque to translucent and is known collectively as a noble or
precious serpentine. Since it’s a hydrous silicate of magnesium with little or no aluminum
it is not a sodium-aluminum silicate as real jade or jadeite.
Bowenite takes an excellent polish if tumbled and is a valuable mineral for lapidarists.
BOWENITE-can be found in many different areas of Northern Rhode Island. There is
some question as to the exact locality of the first discovery. It is mentioned in old
mineralogical text books about the Smithfield township occurrence which might be the
Dexter Lime Quarry and is now considered the Lincoln township. In other areas,
Bowenite can be found where metamorphic limestone is quarried to make limestone
commerically for use on lawns, gardens, driveways and for building material. Most
notably the Harris and Conklin Lime Quarries which are off Rt. 146. Bowenite was
officially established as the state mineral in 1966 by Resolution No. 268. This is the same
year and resolution number that designated the state rock as CUMBERLANDITE.
Bowenite was named after the famous Rhode Island geologist George T. Bowen, who
discovered and analyzed it in the year 1822. Therefore it was named Bowenite in his
honor. Bowenite is a very close relative of Jade and is considered a semi-precious stone.
It is found in association with dolomitic limestone and is a serpentine stone. It comes in a
array of different colors which include; light yellow, canary yellow, yellowish-green, light
and dark green or apple green, brown, blue, blue-green, gray to almost white. It occurs in
elongated lenses or veins a fraction of an inch to several inches thick, or in masses
(nodules) 3 to 4 inches in diameter in the more dolomitic of the precambrain marbles.
The Bowenite name has also been given to a mineral found in New Zealand that is
identical and of the same type and age of rocks found in Rhode Island.
Excellent specimens can be seen at local Rhode Island meseums.
Photo By: M. Yaseen
