Gem Profile- Kyanite

by Judy Ellis

What is Kyanite?

Kyanite ("kI-ah-nIt") is often translucent with some opacity. While kyanite is named after "kyanos," the Greek word for blue, kyanite can be pink, yellow, white, gray, and even green-blue with patches absent of color. Some mineralogists guessed that titanium impurities gave kyanite its blue hue, but others think that iron might be responsible. Orange kyanite has been found in Tanzania, where manganese particles caused the coloration.

Kyanite forms in long, flattened crystals, and in rare specimens this structure can create chatoyancy.

Some pieces show a cat's-eye effect, although most do not.

In uncommon cases, kyanite is pleochroic (similar to iolite or tanzanite), meaning it can display different colors under different lighting conditions.

At the time this article was written Wirejewelry has a limited number of One of a Kind Designer cabochons in Kyanite. Click here to check them out while they last: Kayanite Cabochons

Kyanite Names and Kyanite Imitations

Kyanite was spelled "cyanite" by mineralogists in the 1800s and early 1900s, which is the French spelling. Kyanite was given its name by Abraham Werner in 1789. Kyanite is related to andalusite and silimanite, and of the three, kyanite forms under the highest pressuer. It is often found along with garnet and corundum (ruby and sapphire).

Kyanite has also been called blue talc and sappare. Excellent-quality deep blue kyanite without many inclusions can resemble sapphire, so much that a Swiss mineralogist, Saussure, misidentified a specimen as sapphire (sappare) in France. Despite realizing the mistake, sometimes kyanite is still called sappare. On rare occasions, you may see "disthene" refer to blue kyanite, as opposed to "rhaeticite" for white and gray kyanite.

Kyanite is made up of aluminum, silicon, and oxygen, with its scientific formula being Al2(SiO4)O. While good kyanite is highly rare and valuable, there is no real "synthetic kyanite" on the market. If you see this label at a gem show, beware! Fake kyanite might actually be blue quartz or glass.

Kyanite slices, each about the size of my open hand, that I found in Tucson last year. Check out the variety of color and depth of color, too.

Softer than Sapphire, but Harder to Cut

Kyanite is known for its unusual characteristics, including anisotropism, which means it gives different measurements depending on the direction tested.

Because of this internal structure, kyanite can range from 4 to 5 in one direction and 6.5 to 7 in another on the Mohs scale.

Kyanite is also very brittle, so jewelers usually use it in earrings and pendants rather than rings or bracelets.

Store kyanite jewelry separately in its own pouch or box to prevent cracking or scratching.

These traits make kyanite easy to identify, but they also make it challenging to cut into gem-quality stones.

Terri McMahon used light and dark blue kyanite beads on a triangular sterling silver wire frame to create earrings with gentle movement.

Kyanite can be cut into faceted gems when it is translucent, or shaped into cabochons when it is translucent or opaque.

Faceting is difficult because of the stone's structure and because large translucent pieces are rare, typically no more than two carats.

Only about one to two percent of all kyanite rough is suitable for faceting.

Mid-grade kyanite is far more common and often appears at gem shows as beads or cabochons in denim to sky-blue tones.

In many cabochons, dark blue patches glide along the needle-like inclusions that run through the stone.

Because kyanite is highly directional, similar to a plank of wood with long fiber-like crystals, beads are usually cut into flattened or elongated oval shapes.

The finest kyanite currently comes from Nepal and Tibet, with additional gem-quality sources in Brazil, Kenya, the United States, and Russia.

Lower-grade kyanite is abundant worldwide and frequently used in ceramics, electronics, abrasives, and even spark plugs.

Terri McMahon wrapped this occluded quartz crystal in sterling silver and copper wire and accented the piece with three kyanite needle beads.

Because the color blue is associated with the throat chakra, speakers and people who would like assistance communicating are said to benefit from wearing kyanite around the neck.

While kyanite is not a birthstone, it is associated with the zodiac signs Aries, Taurus, and Libra.

Resources & Recommended Reading

Kyanite on Wikipedia
On the Origin of Colour and Pleochroism of Kyanite Click Here
Kyanite on Ganoksin by Edna Anthony: www.ganoksin.com
Kyanite on MinDat.org

Gem Profile- Kyanite

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