Axinite
Consumer Information
What color is it?: Primarily reddish brown as shown above. But it can also occur in yellow, blue, violet and grey among other colors.
What is the story behind this gemstone?: A rare and unusual gemstone more for collectors than consumers. These stones will be small and expensive. It is named for the axe shape of the original crystal formations.
Can I wear it everyday?: You can but probably will not want to.
Is it expensive?: It can be in large sizes.
Is it a birthstone?: No
What do I need to know before
going shopping?: Plan
on adding to your gem and mineral collection more than your jewelry
ensemble. This will be a difficult stone to find. Although no
collection will be really complete without one.
General Information
Source: Mexico, France, and US
Chemical: Ca2(Fe+2,Mn+2)Al2BSi4O15(OH) a long complicated chemical equation for such a small stone
Formation: Forms in metaphoric rocks whose origins are calcium rich sedimentary rocks such as limestone
Crystal System: Triclinic
Unusual Properties: None
Gemological Information
RI: 1.675 - 1.685
Birefringence: .010
Optic Character: B -
Specific Gravity: 3.27 + -
Hardness: 7
Transparency: TP - TL
Special Identifying Properties and Tests: None
Synthetics: None
Imitations: Many possible but not likely. Confused with smoky quartz