Charoite
What is Charoite?
Charoite is a rare silicate mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River in Russia. It’s often used as a gemstone and is popular for its unique purple color and swirling patterns.
Charoite is a rare gemstone that comes in shades of purple with swirling patterns. Its unique appearance and color make it a popular choice for jewelry and decorative items, especially rings and pendants.
| Chemical Classification | Inorganic - Silicate |
| Color | Ranges from light lavender to deep purple, often with swirling patterns of black, white, and/or transparent crystals. |
| Streak | White |
| Luster | Pearly to vitreous. |
| Transparency | Translucent to opaque. |
| Occurrence | Russia (specifically the Sakha Republic) - it's the only known location for charoite. |
| Formation | Found in association with tinaksite and canasite in the Murun massif in the Sakha Republic. |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent to opaque |
| Cleavage | Perfect in two directions |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 to 6 |
| Specific Gravity | 2.54 - 2.58 |
| Diagnostic Properties | Purple with swirling patterns. |
| Chemical Composition | (K,Sr)15-16(Ca,Na)32[Si6O11(OH)]2[Si12O18(OH)]2[Si17O25(OH,O)]2(OH,F)4·~3H2O |
| Pleochroism | Not observed in charoite. |
| Crystal System | Monoclinic |
| Optical Properties | Biaxial (-) |
| Refractive Index | 1.550 - 1.559 |
| Birefringence | 0.01 |
| 2V angle | Measured: 0° to 30° |
| Dispersion | Not typically noted for its dispersion. |