Putnisite is a mineral composed of strontium, calcium, chromium, sulfur, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.

[4] It was discovered on the Polar Bear Peninsula in Shire of Dundas, Western Australia in 2007 during mining activity.

[4][5] Following identification and recognition by the IMA in 2012[5] the mineral was named after mineralogists Andrew and Christine Putnis.

[3] Putnisite has unique chemical and structural properties, and does not appear to be related to any of the existing mineralogical families.

[3] Crystals are translucent purple, but show distinct pleochroism (from pale purple to pale bluish grey,[4] depending on the angle of observation) and leave pink streaks when rubbed on a flat surface.