Spodumene
Kunzite
Brazil
260.61 carats
© Rarestone.com
For a long time gem verieties have been known as hiddenite and kunzite; since the 1970s some isolated transparent colorless varieties have been found. Most recently light yellow and green varieties have also been known.
Rarely displays the cat's eye effect.
Spodumene Gemstones by Colour
This table shows the variety of hues this gemstone can be found in. Click on a photo for more information.
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Spodumene Gemstones by Size
This table shows distribution of Spodumene gemstone sizes that are listed on this site. This can give a good indication as to the general availability of this gemstone in different sizes.
Contributed photos
Lightest:0.49 cts
Heaviest:551.65 cts
Average:22.73 cts
Total photos:84
Do you have a larger Spodumene? Why not upload a photo?
| General Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Varieties/Types: | Hiddenite - Pale-to-emerald green variety of Spodumene. Kunzite - A pink gem variety of Spodumene. Triphane - Yellow spodumene | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chemical Formula |
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| Spodumene Treatments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Irradiation of spodumene of unknown type produces orange to yellow to greenish yellow color, quite unlike any known in naturally occurring spodumene, and easily confused with citrine. This material, when offered in the trade as citrine, was found to be radioactive, indicating exposure in a nuclear reactor; the color was found to be stable to a short exposure to sunlight (Rossman and Qiu, 1982). Heating of brown, irradiated spodumene to about 80°C converts it into the green irradiated color, which itself is bleached to restore the original pink color at 200°C (Przibram and Caffyn, 1956). Exposure to light also produces both of these changes. The intense yellow and orange irradiated material is unlike any spodumene found in nature; it does not have to be radioactive, since this depends on how the irradiation was performed - Nassau (1984) Irradiation of kunzite may create a light green to bluish green unstable color (fade when exposed to sunlight or gentle heating) - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical Properties of Spodumene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohs Hardness | 6 to 7, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specific Gravity | 3.15 to 3.21, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tenacity | Brittle, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cleavage Quality | Perfect, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Easy and perfect prismatic cleavageMore from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fracture | Splintery, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Optical Properties of Spodumene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refractive Index | 1.657 to 1.681, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Optical Character | Biaxial/+, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birefringence | 0.014 to 0.016, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pleochroism | Yellow stones - distinct: very light yellow - yellow - deep yellow, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dispersion | 0.017, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colour (General) | Colourless, green, lilac, pink, white, yellow, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Causes of Colour | Purple to pink (kunzite), Mn3+ in tetrahedral coordination, Mn3+ in octahedral coordination. Emerald green (hiddenite), Cr3+ in octahedral coordination with also unstable Mn4+ color center; V3+ in octahedral coordination. Paler green, unstable Mn4+ in octahedral coordination plus Fe2+→Fe3+ charge transfer; Fe3+ in octahedral coordination. Greenish yellow to brownish orange, color center of unknown structure, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transparency | Transparent, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lustre | Vitreous, Gemstones (2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence & other light emissions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence (Short Wave UV) | Much weaker orange-yellow, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence (Long-Wave UV) | Yellowish-green stone: inert to weak orangy-yellow, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fluorescence (X-RAY) | Yellow-green spodumene gives a fairly strong glow but with no phosphorescence or change of colour., Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystallography of Spodumene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crystal System | Monoclinic, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Habit | Highly characteristic flattened and striated prismatic, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geological Environment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where found: | Spodumene is a common constituent of lithium-rich granite pegmatites., Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inclusions in Spodumene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Growth and etch tubes, healing cracks, liquid and multi-phase inclusions - Gemmological Tables, Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, 2004, p 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Further Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mineral information: | Spodumene information at mindat.org | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Significant Gem Localities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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