What is "kambaldaite"

n. (context mineralogy English) An extremely rare hexagonal hydrated sodium nickel carbonate mineral, light green or blue, that forms drusy to mammillated encrustations on the matrix.

Kambaldaite, NaNi(CO)(OH)·3HO, is an extremely rare hydrated sodium nickel carbonate mineral described from gossanous material associated with Kambalda type komatiitic nickel ore deposits at Kambalda, Western Australia, and Widgie Townsite nickel gossan, Widgiemooltha, Western Australia.

Kambaldaite crystallises in the hexagonal system, is light green to blue and forms drusy to mammillated encrustations on the matrix.

Kambaldaite was first described in 1985 from the gossan of the Otter Shoot nickel orebody, Kambalda, during mining of the gossanous material. Kambaldaite, though in lesser and rarer amount, is also found in the Widgiemooltha nickel gossans, probably discovered there in the early to mid 1990s.