Vesuvianite

The name Vesuvianite comes from the famous locality in Italy, Mt. Vesuvius. The name Idocrase comes from the Greek word "eidos", meaning "form" and "krausis" meaning "mixture". This referenced its mixed crystal form. Partially soluble in acids.

VESUVIANITE
Overview: The name "Vesuvianite" is from the original locality at Mt.Vesuvius, Italy. Vesuvianite, also known as Idocrase, is a fascinating mineral found originally on the volcano, Mt Vesuvius, hence one of the names.

Occurrence
Idocrase, commonly called vesuvianite, is found in the US, Norway, Siberia, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, Pakistan and Africa ...

Vesuvianite - recently reported by Zabriskie (1995) however positive identification has not been made at this point in time.

see vesuvianite... hydrous calcium magnesium aluminum silicate. an aggregate combo of idocrase and grossular garnet
Color: apple green
SG: 3.3
Avg.RI: 1.7
H: 5.5 to 7.5
Comments: $450.00 per ct. when cut from crystal. Calomel ... HgCl ...

Idocrase is most commonly known as vesuvianite, but the location of deposits and its colors have caused it to be known by several other names.

More recently, brownish vesuvianite crystals have been found as groups in the Frazerburgh area.
Near Huntly, veins of xonotlite occur, associated with tacahranite and other species.

[Natural nephrite simulants: Vesuvianite cabs, green aventurine quartz beads] ...

* TETRAGONAL: The tetragonal crystal system requires a single four fold axis of rotation. Instances of minerals and crystals in this system are zircon, carletonite, rutile, scapolite, anatase, vesuvianite, narsarsukite, autunite, xenotime, thorite, ...

Because of its inferior hardness to zircon, which the yellow crystals resemble, they have also been called hessonite from the Greek meaning inferior. Grossular is found in contact metamorphosed limestones with vesuvianite, diopside, ...

See also: Color, Stone, Crystal, Quartz, Gemstone