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Rhodizite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  (K,Cs)Al₄Be₄(B,Be)₁₂O₂₈

Discovered in 1834;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
The name is from the Greek word rhodizein for to be rose-colored in allusion to its property of turning a blowpipe flame rose red.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Borates

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

5/L.02-20

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

6.GC.05

6 : BORATES
G : Heptaborates and other megaborates
C : Tekto-dodecaborates

Related to:

Londonite - Rhodizite Series.  The potassium (K) analogue of Londonite.

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hextetrahedral

Crystal Habit:

Typically as well-formed dodecahedra and tetrahedra, to 3.5 cm, modified by [001] and [111]

Twinning:

On [111], uncommon.

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[111] Indistinct, [111] Indistinct, [111] Indistinct

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

8.0 - 8.5

Density:

3.22 - 3.44 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Barely Detectable, GRapi = 52.60

Other:

Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless, Grayish, Yellow, Yellowish White, White

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Luster:

Vitreous to Adamantine

Refractive Index:

1.6935  Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.00 (Isotropic)

Dispersion:

Weak; 0.018

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

A rare late-stage accessory mineral in alkali-rich granite pegmatites.

Common Associations:

Albite, Béhierite, Beryl, Elbaite, Londonite, Microcline, Quartz, Spodumene

Co-Type Localities:

• Mor's Pit, Shaitanka District, Rezh, Ekateriinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast',    Middle Urals, Urals Region, Russia;
• Ministerskaya Yama Pit, Sarapulka (Murzinka) District, Ekateriinburgskaya    (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast', Middle Urals, Urals Region, Russia

Year Discovered:

1834

View mineral photos:

Rhodizite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Rhodizite is a very rare gem that is closely related to and is the K (potassium) dominant analogue of Londonite. Londonite is Cs (cesium) dominant. Quantitative chemical analysis is required to differentiate between the two so they are often referred to as Rhodizite-Londonite when specimens have not been chemically tested. Gem quality crystals are available only from Madagascar but are very small and typically heavily included. Other non-gem sources are Russia and the US. Rhodizite is strongly piezoelectric and pyroelectric and is barely radioactive due to its cesium (Cs) content. Rhodizite gems are usually a pale yellow color but are also available as colorless and greenish-yellow. The color of greenish-yellow and yellow gems may fade to colorless with prolonged exposure to sunlight.
 

  
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