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| Mineral Name: |
scapolite |
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| Gem Names: |
scapolite (aka wernerite) |
| Chemistry: |
Na4(Si,Al)12O24Cl to Ca4(Si,Al)12O24(CO3, SO4) |
| Class: |
silicate - tectosilicate |
| Crystal Sys: |
tetragonal |
| Hardness: |
5.5 - 6.0 |
Specific Gravity: |
2.5 - 2.7 |
| Fracture: |
uneven to conchodial |
Refractive Index: |
1.54 - 1.60 |
| Dispersion: |
0.017 |
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| Misc Prop: |
Scapolite suffers from its "too much like" other stones. In its yellow color it is very similar to shades of citrine or golden beryl, and in its purple color it can be confused for amethyst. It is softer than either of the above mentioned stones, and has only equivalent refractive index to that of quartz, and far less than beryl.
It is now more of a collectors stone although not really that rare. It has failed to catch on as a desirable gem species and thus just "hangs around " the gem world and is only occasionally used in jewelry.
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| Color: |
In gemstones, color, is often the key to naming or describing the particular variety. Hence look for this information below in the various descriptions. Color, opacity, and homogeneity often determine the placement of value on any given stone, and are all optical properties of the particular stone. |
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