The chemical formula of mineral Raite is indicated by Na4Mn4Si8(O,OH)24 – 9H2O or Hydrated Sodium Manganese Silicate Hydroxide. Raite is actually a Silicate mineral and it is most commonly used as mineral specimen. When evaluated with the aid of polarized microscopes for mineralogists, mineral Raite is most commonly found showing interesting images. Although quite rare kind of mineral, Raite is considerably beautiful species that exhibits very fascinating images under polarizing microscopes used in the field of optical mineralogy. Raite mineral was named in honor to the international scientific expedition of the Ship Ra II in 1973 which was built of papyrus. The ship was actually captained by Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian explorer and scientist who was determined to prove the sea worthiness of reed boats. It was also known that the ship Ra II was successfully sailed from Safi, Morocco to Barbados in 1970.
It has been found that Raite is quite an oddball mineral that its structure is hard to classify. The structure of Raite is usually composed of linked chains of silicates, four chains across. Raite is only one of those rare but beautiful agpaitic mineral known in the mineral world. In optical mineralogy, agpaitic minerals are those that are found in unusual igneous intrusive rocks that contain alkali metals and high concentrations of unusual metals such as titanium and zirconium. Raite is usually found forming beautiful acicular crystals arranged in sprays, fans, soherulites, rosettes and crusts. The golden brown to red or even violet color with silky luster in reflected light is usually found more clearly exhibited by the mineral when it is viewed under petrographic polarizing microscopes. Raite is often associated with other rare minerals and although hard to find, it is certainly a cool mineral to have in a collection.
As mentioned above, mineral Raite is most commonly found exhibiting golden brown to rd or even violet color that could appear more fascinating when evaluated with the aid of polarized microscopes for mineralogists. Raite is also usually found showing silky to vitreous luster when viewed in reflected light of polarized light microscope. Most crystals of mineral Raite are found transparent to translucent in appearance. Mineral Raite is known to crystallize in the orthorhombic system of crystal formation. In optical mineralogy, this orthorhombic crystal system comprises crystals having three mutually perpendicular axes, of which all are of different lengths. The crystal habit of mineral Raite as described in the field of optical mineralogy usually include acicular crystals and aggregates that are clustered into sprays, fans, spherulites, rosettes and as crusts all of which can be more interesting when viewed under polarizing microscopes. Raite is sometimes found showing perfect cleavage under polarized microscope but this is actually rarely seen. The hardness measure of mineral Raite when it is evaluated suing the Mohs scale method is usually found 3. Raite is also most commonly found leaving a yellow streak when rubbed on a white porcelain streak. The specific gravity measure of mineral Raite is usually 2.4 grams per cubic centimeters. Raite is most commonly found associated with aegerine, analcime, sodalite, apididymite, natrolite, albite, spharelite, villaumite, serandite and oter rare minerals. The best field indicators of mineral Raite usually include locality, crystal habit, color and associations. Raite notably occurs at agpaitic localities including Mount Saint Hilaire in Quebec, Canada and Mt. Lovozero Massif in Kola Peninsula, Russia.
