Iolite Gemstone Information and Metaphysical Qualities. Iolite- Awaken Light Within. Iolite Iolite - the Vikings' compass. Stone's names: Iolite, Dichroite or Cordierite. Iolite is a violet blue to purple gemstone that has the unusual property of being different colors from 3 different axes (pleochroic). Its scientific name is "Cordierite" but is also referred to as a "Water Sapphire". Its hardness makes it a beautiful and durable gemstone. Description: Mg2Al3O Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Iolite is a blue silicate mineral that occurs as crystals or grains in igneous rocks, only as a result of contamination of the magma by aluminous sediment. Iolite has a pleasing color of blue, but a rather extraordinary optical property.
The name's origin: The name Iolite is derived from the Greek "los", meaning violet. Varieties: The stones from the gem gravels of Sri Lanka have been called water sapphires due to the blue-violet color. Iolite is sometimes called dichroite because of its marked pleochroism: different colored light is transmitted in different directions. Mystical Properties: Cordierite. Cordierite (mineralogy) or iolite (gemology) is a magnesium iron aluminium cyclosilicate. Iron is almost always present and a solid solution exists between Mg-rich cordierite and Fe-rich sekaninaite with a series formula: (Mg,Fe)2Al3(Si5AlO18) to (Fe,Mg)2Al3(Si5AlO18).[2] A high temperature polymorph exists, indialite, which is isostructural with beryl and has a random distribution of Al in the (Si,Al)6O18 rings.[3] Name and discovery[edit] Cordierite, which was discovered in 1813, is named after the French geologist Louis Cordier (1777–1861).[2] Occurrence[edit] Cordierite typically occurs in contact or regional metamorphism of argillaceous rocks.
It is especially common in hornfels produced by contact metamorphism of pelitic rocks. Commercial use[edit] Catalytic converters are commonly made from ceramics containing a large proportion of synthetic cordierite. Gem variety[edit] Left: rough specimen showing dichroism; right: cut stoneFacet cut Iolite gemstone See also[edit] References[edit] Cordierite: Mindat. Tanzanite Blue IOLITE gem: FRG.