Kunzite

Kunzite is the lilac/pink colored variety of Spodumene.

Spodumene:

(LiAlSi₂O₆)

Hardness--6.5 to 7
Prismatic cleavage
Uneven fracture
Vitreous luster
Transparent to translucent
Variable color--colorless, white, gray, pink, green, yellow, purple, tan

Spodumene resides in the monoclinic crystal system. It generally forms prismatic crystals with well developed faces. The crystal faces are often striated, and crystals are often twinned. In the hand specimen it can have the appearance of a log or petrified wood. Spodumene is usually found in granitic pegmatites.

Malachite

Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂

Hardness--3.5 to 4
Perfect cleavage one direction
Sub-conchoidal fracture
Adamantine luster
Transparent to translucent
Bright green coloration

Malachite resides in the monoclinic crystal system. Crystals are very rare. It usually forms as a massive. It is often colloform or banded and often inter-grown with other secondary copper minerals such as azurite, cuprite, limonite, chrysocolla, and native copper.

 Back to Mineralogy