Photo of Kunzite in Processed & Rough Form
Kunzite is a mineral with a hardness of 6 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness [?]. These Monoclinicly structured gems are made of lithium aluminum silicate, their full chemical compound being LiAl(Si2O6).
Kunzite is the pinkish lilac variety of the spodumene. These crystals or stones have a light pink hue because they constrain, traces manganese. Kunzite was first discovered in California in the early 20th century, and is known for its pleochroism. Its been noted that prolonged exposure to uv or solar lighting will diminish this stones color.
This stone is generally sought after for its properties as a crystal, its lack of hardness makes it not very suitable as a gemstone as its facet faces will not hold.
The specific gravity [?] for Kunzite is 3.18, its refractive index [?] is 1.66-1.68, and its double refraction [?] is 0.016.
History
Kunzite was named after George Frederick Kunz, an American mineralogist and gemologist who first described the gemstone in 1902.
Industrial Usages
Kunzite is used mainly in necklaces. Its relative softness and cleavage make it less suitable for industrial applications.
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