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| Chemistry:
LiAlSi2O6
[Lithium
Aluminum Silicate] | Discovered
about 1903;
IMA
status: Kunzite: Not Valid; Spodumene: Valid Kunzite is named after George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932),
a famous author and gemologist for Tiffany and Co.
The name Spodumene
is from the Greek word spodumenos, meaning burnt
to ash which refers to the ashy gray color of early
mineral specimens. |
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Classification
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Mineral
Classification: |
Silicates |
Strunz 8th
Ed. ID:
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8/F.01-120 |
Nickel-Strunz 10th
Ed. ID:
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9.DA.30 |
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9 : SILICATES (Germanates) D : Inosilicates A :
Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6;
pyroxene family
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Related
to: |
Pyroxene Group.
Clinopyroxene Subgroup.
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Crystal
Data
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Crystallography:
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Monoclinic
- Prismatic
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Crystal
Habit:
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Spodumene:
Crystals are prismatic, typically flattened and striated,
to 12.5 m and 54 t. Commonly massive.
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Twinning:
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Common
on [100].
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Physical
Properties
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Cleavage: |
[110]
Good, [100] Good, [010] Partings
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Fracture: |
Uneven
to Subconchoidal
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Tenacity:
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Brittle
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Hardness
(Mohs): |
6.5 - 7.0 |
Density:
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3.03
- 3.23 (g/cm3) |
Luminescence:
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May
show Yellow, Orange or Pink fluorescence under LW and
SW UV. |
Radioactivity:
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Not
Radioactive |
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Optical
Properties
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Color: |
Colorless,
pale to deep Pink
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Transparency: |
Transparent
to Translucent |
Luster: |
Vitreous,
Dull; Pearly on cleavages |
Refractive
Index: |
1.653
- 1.682 Biaxial ( + ) |
Birefringence: |
0.0140 - 0.0270 |
Dispersion: |
Weak;
r < v; 0.012 |
Pleochroism: |
Distinct; X
= Colorless; Y = Violet Pink; Z = Purple
Pink
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Occurances
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Geological
Setting: |
A
common constituent of lithium-rich granite pegmatites;
in aplites and gneisses. |
Common
Associations: |
Quartz,
Albite, Petalite, Eucryptite, Lepidolite, Beryl |
Common
Impurities: |
Fe,
Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, H2O |
Type
Locality: |
Pala district, San Diego County, California |
Year
Discovered: |
1903
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View
mineral photos: |
Kunzite Photos and Locations |
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More
Information
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Mindat.org
(Kunzite) Mindat.org
(Spodumene) Webmineral.com
(Spodumene) |
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Kunzite
is a member of the Spodumene Family of minerals that also
includes
Hiddenite. It is a beautiful gem that is found as colorless,
pale to deep pink and purplish pink. Kunzite is stronly pleochroic, meaning
it has a color intensity difference when viewed from
different directions. It is a very difficult gem to
facet because of its strong pleochroism, easy cleavage
and splintery fracture. Other colors of Spodumene are colorless,
yellow (Triphane), pale to deep green (Hiddenite), blue-green
and rarely blue.
There
are many localities for fine Kunzite crystals including
Nuristan district,
Laghman Province, Afghanistan; Minas Gerais, Brazil;
Maharitra, Mt. Bity, and Anjanabonoina, Madagascar.
In the USA, giant crystals in the Etta mine, near Keystone,
Pennington County, South Dakota,; and from the Pala
district, San Diego County, California.
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Kunzite
gems for sale:
We
have not photographed the Kunzite gems. Please
check back soon.
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