Detailed sheet

benitoite

It was discovered in the early twentieth century by the San Benito river in San Benito County, California.
Its color is very close to that of sapphire but its strong dichroism can easily distinguish it from sapphire, and even other blue stones.



CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

BaTi[Si3O9]

barium titanium cyclosilicate mineral



PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Main color

blue

Other colors

colourless, pink, purple

Color of streak

white

Luster

vitreous

Hardness

6.0 to 6.5

Density

3.62 to 3.68

Cleavage

indistinct

Fracture

conchoidal, uneven



OPTICAL PROPERTIES

Transparency

translucent, transparent

only the very small crystals are transparent

Refractive index

1.755 - 1.805

Double refraction

0.047

strong, positive uniaxial

visible double refraction

Yes

Dispersion

0,045(0.025)

Pleochroism

strong

Number of colors

2

colorless to blue

Fluorescence

strong

blue



CRYSTALS PROPERTIES

small, flat and in double pyramid

crystals system

hexagonal



OTHER INFORMATIONS

Exploited
sites

Single deposit: San Benito County, California, USA for gemstones, but it is present in Japan.

use in jewelry

It is a stone for collectors, the crystals are small and only allow to be cut faceted some stones that rarely exceed a carat.

imitations and
treatments

no known imitations.

Other
Gems

Venez visitez

notre site web

voillot-joaillier.fr

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