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www.mineralgallery.co.za Minerals A-E |
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Diopside |
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Name
Diopside
Chemistry
CaMgSi2 O6
Uses
Gemstone or as mineral specimen
Color
Colorless/ clear, bright or pale green to yellowish or greenish brown, white, gray, light blue, purple.
Hardness
5 - 6
Specific gravity
3.3 - 3.6
Crystals
Monoclinic
Accompanied by:
Grossular, Vesuvianite, Dolomite, Actinolite, Tremolite, Andradite, Wollastonite, Phlogopite, Serpentine, Chlorite, Fluorite, Chondrodite
Fracture
Uneven
Luster
Vitreous to dull
Cleavage
1.2
Streak
Light green, light gray, white
Similar to:
Inosilicates, Silicates, Pyroxene
Diopside is a common mineral and is found worldwide.
Diopside is an important rock forming mineral in several metamorphic and basic to ultra basic igneous rocks, also found in meteorites.
The crystallized or transparent specimens come from only a limited number of localities.
Diopside is typically white or green and can have a nice glassy luster.
While the color of chrome Diopside is much brighter, many specimens of ordinary Diopside are also cut for gemstones.
Mineral specimens of Diopside can be very striking in appearance, and of interest to mineral collectors.
Crystal Habits include short prismatic, rarely tabular crystals. The square cross section is distinctive in the prismatic crystals. Also compact, granular, columnar and massive.
Diopside creates fine collector specimens, and examples from famous localities are highly priced.
Location St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA; Ural Mountains, Russia; Mt. Vesuvius and other localities in Italy; Austria; Germany; Sri Lanka; Brazil; Mogok, Burma; Madagascar; Kimberly, South Africa and Outokumpu, Finland.
