Log InRegister
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreOur ScienceMindat Newsletter [Free Download]Contact Us
Donate to MindatSponsor a PageCorporate SponsorshipSponsored Pages
Learning CenterWhat Is a Mineral?The Most Common Minerals on EarthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesMindat Newsletter [Free Download]The ElementsThe Mineral Quiz
Search FormMinerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDMinerals by CountryAlphabetical Mineral IndexAlphabetical Locality SearchMineral Association SearchList of CountriesLocalities Near MePhoto SearchSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMore Search Options
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
MineralsPetrologyFossilsMeteoritesGeologic Time
Mining CompaniesStatisticsMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsDevice SettingsTime Machine
Read DiscussionsIdentification Request
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColourPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Bakhuis Mountains, Sipaliwini District, Surinamei
Regional Level Types
Bakhuis MountainsMountain Range
Sipaliwini DistrictDistrict
SurinameCountry

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
PhotosMapsSearch
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
4° 20' 59'' North , 56° 45' 0'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
4.35000,-56.75000
GRN:
N03W40
Type:
Mountain Range
Köppen climate type:
Af : Tropical rainforest climate
Mindat Locality ID:
23708
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:23708:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


Sillimanite-bearing mesoperthite gneiss.

The Bakhuis Mountains (Dutch: Bakhuisgebergte) are a mountain range in central Suriname, spanning 110 kilometres. The mountain range form of the Northern part of the Wilhelmina Mountains, and the mountains and its village were named after the Dutch explorer and Royal Dutch East Indies Army officer Louis August Bakhuis. It is situated in the Sipaliwini District of Suriname. The Bakhuys Airstrip is near the village.

The Bakhuis Mountains have rich deposits of bauxite, as well as nickel and copper. In 1974, a new mineral named surinamite ((Mg, Fe2+)3Al4BeSi3O16) was found in the mountain range. The Bakhuis mountain range is an area of 2800 km² and contains a large concession area for mining bauxite, in which both the Surinamese company Suralco and foreign exploitation companies are interested. Ecologists fear the destruction of the jungle area when the mining commences.

In the second half of the 20th century, there was already a plan to economically exploit the area: the West Suriname Plan, centered on the mining of bauxite in the Bakhuis Mountains. After Suriname became independent of the Netherlands in the 1980s, however, the implementation of this plan was discontinued. A specially built railway line was never put into use.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


8 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase
Formula: (Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ Kyanite
Formula: Al2(SiO4)O
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Rutile
Formula: TiO2
ⓘ Sillimanite
Formula: Al2(SiO4)O
ⓘ Spinel
Formula: MgAl2O4
ⓘ Spinel var. Pleonaste
Formula: (Mg,Fe)Al2O4
ⓘ Surinamite (TL)
Formula: (Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Type Locality:
ⓘ Zircon
Formula: Zr(SiO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘSpinel4.BB.05MgAl2O4
ⓘvar. Pleonaste4.BB.05(Mg,Fe)Al2O4
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘRutile4.DB.05TiO2
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘZircon9.AD.30Zr(SiO4)
ⓘSillimanite9.AF.05Al2(SiO4)O
ⓘKyanite9.AF.15Al2(SiO4)O
ⓘSurinamite (TL)9.DH.55(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
ⓘAlbite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘvar. Oligoclase9.FA.35(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
BeBeryllium
Beⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
OOxygen
Oⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Oⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ RutileTiO2
Oⓘ SillimaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Oⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
Oⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Oⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
Oⓘ Spinel var. Pleonaste(Mg,Fe)Al2O4
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
NaSodium
Naⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Naⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mgⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
Mgⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Mgⓘ Spinel var. Pleonaste(Mg,Fe)Al2O4
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alⓘ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Alⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Alⓘ SillimaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Alⓘ SpinelMgAl2O4
Alⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Alⓘ Spinel var. Pleonaste(Mg,Fe)Al2O4
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ KyaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Siⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ SillimaniteAl2(SiO4)O
Siⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Siⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
KPotassium
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Albite var. Oligoclase(Na,Ca)[Al(Si,Al)Si2O8]
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Tiⓘ RutileTiO2
FeIron
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feⓘ Surinamite(Mg,Fe)3Al4BeSi3O16
Feⓘ Spinel var. Pleonaste(Mg,Fe)Al2O4
ZrZirconium
Zrⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)

Other Databases

Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakhuis_Mountains
Wikidata ID:Q804422

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

South AmericaContinent
South America PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

www.nsi-ins.ca (n.d.) http://www.nsi-ins.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/West-Suriname-WAT-Betekent-Een-Geintegreerde-Aluminium-Industrie-Voor-De-Inheemse-Gemeenschappen.pdf
De Roever, Emond, W. F., Kieft, C., Murray, Ed, Klein, Eildert, Drucker, Willem H. (1976) Surinamite, a new Mg-Al silicate from the Bakhuis Mountains, western Surinam - I. Description, occurrence, and conditions of formation. American Mineralogist, 61 (3-4). 193-196
Vereniging van Inheemse Dorpshoofden in Suriname (2007) West Suriname: Wat betekent een geïntegreerde aluminium industrie voor de inheemse gemeenschappen?
www.minsocam.org (n.d.) http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM61/AM61_193.pdf
Quick NavTopMineral ListOther DatabasesOther RegionsReferences
 
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: October 19, 2026 20:10:50 Page updated: September 22, 2025 09:23:30
Go to top of page