Kunzite

Kunzite is the pink-to-lilac gem variety of spodumene, a lithium aluminium pyroxene. Its delicate colour comes from traces of manganese. It was first described in 1902 and named after the gemmologist George Frederick Kunz. Its green, chromium-coloured sister variety is hiddenite.

Properties

Spodumene is monoclinic with perfect prismatic cleavage and a hardness of 6.5–7, which — together with strong pleochroism — makes kunzite a difficult stone to cut well; lapidaries orient it to show the deepest pink down the length of the crystal. The colour of some stones can fade with prolonged exposure to strong light.

Occurrence

Kunzite forms in lithium-rich granitic pegmatites. The Pala district of California, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Brazil and Madagascar are leading sources, often yielding very large, gemmy crystals.