Spodumene
Spodumene
Spodumene is a rock forming mineral in granites and pegmatites that bear other lithium minerals. Spodumene is a relatively new mineral to science, being discovered in the last three centuries and gem varieties have only been discovered in the last 120 years. The name refers to the mineral spodumene, Greek for ash-colored, because the non-gem crystals are mostly opaque, white to yellowish.
Spodumene colors are white, colorless, gray, pink, lilac, violet, yellow and green. Spodumene is a relatively new mineral to science, being discovered in the last three centuries and gem varieties have only been discovered in the last 120 years. Transparent deeply colored spodumene has two varieties called Kunzite and Hiddenite. Kunzite is the more common of the two and is known by most gemstone collectors and fanciers. It is a lovely pink to lilac color that is unique in the gem kingdom.
Spodumene is strongly pleochroic, meaning there is a color intensity variation when a crystal of it is viewed from different directions.
Spodumene deposits are found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, Pakistan and the United States (California, North Carolina and South Dakota).