Kunzite
Pink spodumene, a lithium ore that fades in the sun.
- Family
- Spodumene
- Formula
- LiAlSi₂O₆
- Mohs
- 6.5 to 7
- System
- Monoclinic
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Science
Kunzite is spodumene coloured pink by manganese. Crystals are flat, striated blades with two directions of perfect cleavage, which makes cutting difficult. Its colour is not fully stable: years of sunlight bleach it, so it is called the evening stone.
- Mineral
- Spodumene (variety)
- Formula
- LiAlSi₂O₆
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5 to 7
- Specific gravity
- 3.18
- Refractive index
- 1.660 to 1.676
- Lustre
- Vitreous
- Colours
- Pink, Lilac
Composition
LiAlSi₂O₆. Made of Lithium, Aluminium, Silicon, Oxygen, with trace Manganese responsible for colour.
Origin
- AfghanistanNuristan
- Pakistan
- Brazil
- Madagascar
- United StatesPala, California
Filled dots are primary sources
Rarity
Large clean crystals exist but strong colour is uncommon, and it is hard to cut and to keep from fading.
- 1 Abundant
- 2 Common
- 3 Uncommon
- 4 Rare
- 5 Exceptional
Hardness
Kunzite sits at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It will scratch glass and holds a polish in daily wear.
Energy
Associations from crystal-healing tradition, recorded here as folklore. They are not medical claims.
Chakras
- Heart
Element
- Water
Zodiac
- Taurus
- Leo
- Scorpio
Planets
- Venus
Properties
- Unconditional love
- Emotional release
- Peace
- Self-acceptance
Lore
Discovered at Pala, California in 1902 and named for George Kunz, Tiffany's gemmologist, who also named morganite. Hiddenite is the green spodumene from North Carolina.
Its modern reputation rests on colour alone: the soft pink of the heart, gentler than tourmaline.
- LithiumSpodumene is a principal ore of lithium for batteries.
- FadingKeep out of direct sun; the pink slowly disappears.