Kunzite

Kunzite is the pink to light purple gem variety of the mineral Spodumene. Spodumene is a common mineral, but only in several localities does it occur in transparent gem form. The main gem form of Spodumene is Kunzite, the other is the rarer Hiddenite. Yellow and colorless gem forms of Spodumene also exist, but are not commonly faceted as gemstones. Kunzite has a lovely pink color and is becoming increasingly popular in the gemstone market.

Chemical Formula	LiAlSi2O6
Color	Pink, Purple
Hardness	6.5Â -Â 7
Crystal System	Monoclinic
Refractive Index	1.66Â -Â 1.68
SG	3.1Â -Â 3.2
Transparency	Transparent
Double Refraction	.015
Luster	Vitreous
Cleavage	1,2 - prismatic
Mineral Class	Spodumene