ekanite
ekanite of Sri lanka round cut
Detailed sheet
ekanite
Identified Only in 1955 by Ekanayake, this is one of the few carved stones that is naturally radioactive. This feature makes it sought as a rare stone by collectors, transparent stones are even rarer. In addition, the radioactivity alters its crystalline structure over time.
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Ca2Th[Si8O20]
thorium calcium silicate
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Main color
green
Other colors
brown, yellow, red
Color of streak
white
Luster
vitreous
Hardness
4.5 to 6.5
Density
3.28 to 3.33
Cleavage
perfect
Fracture
uneven
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency
opaque, translucent, transparent
Refractive index
1.568 - 1.580
Double refraction
0.010
weak negative uniaxial
visible double refraction
No
Dispersion
0,018(0.012)
Pleochroism
absent
Number of colors
1
Absorption spectrum
665
Fluorescence
variable
rarely but yellow or green is possible
CRYSTALS PROPERTIES
massive prismatic crystals
crystals system
tetragonal
OTHER INFORMATIONS
APPROACHING GEMS
Exploited
sites
It is found mainly in Sri Lanka (Ratnapura) but also in Russia, the United States, Canada, Italy.
use in jewelry
only a collection stone
Daily care
and precautions
Caution: Radioactive stone, it must be kept away from living beings and preserved in a package suitable for protection against radioactivity.
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