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Kornerupine


Properties
Chemical Composition: 
Borosilicate of magnesium, iron and aluminium - Mg3Al6(Si,Al,B)5O21(OH)
Classification / Type: 
-
Colors / Varieties: 
Green, greenish yellow, greenish brown, brownish yellow. Chatoyant and Star (rare) variety.
Crystal System / Forms: 
Orthorhombic System / Prismatic crystals, fibrous and columnar.
Hardness: 
6.5
Specific Gravity: 
3.28 - 3.35
Cleavage / Fracture: 
Perfect 2 directional / Conchoidal fracture.
Optic Character: 
Anisotropic, D.R.; Biaxial negative (pseudo-uniaxial)
Lustre: 
Vitreous
Refractive Index / Birefringence: 
1.665 - 1.678 / 0.013 - 0.017; Range: 1.664 - 1.683
Pleochroism: 
Strong: green / yellow, reddish brown
Dispersion: 
0.018
Magnification: 
Crystalline inclusions (zircon, apatite), fine needles.
U.V. Fluorescence: 
Varies from inert to yellow in longwave and shortwave.
Spectrum: 
Line at 503nm
Cause of Color: 
Traces of iron, chromium, vanadium.
Treatment (Enhancement): 
-
Specific Tests & Remarks: 
-
Synthesis: 
-
Simulants (with key separation tests): 
Tourmaline (optic figure, R.I., birefringence, spectrum), Enstatite (spectrum, pleochroism), Diopside (R.I., birefringence, spectrum), Sinhalite (R.I., birefringence, spectrum), Spodumene (R.I., S.R., U.V. fluorescence), etc.
Geological Occurrence: 
In alluvial deposits.
Sources: 
Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Canada, Nepal.
Cuts & Uses: 
Facetted cuts and cabochons.
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