Vesuvianite Mineral Crystal Specimen

Vesuvianite

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Vesuvianite was recognized as a mineral species in 1795 and is named for its type locality at Mt. Vesuvius in Campania, Italy.  Notable collecting sources are located in Mexico, Canada, Peru, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Pakistan, Namibia, China, and the United States (California, Arizona, Idaho, New Hampshire, Arkansas).

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: Vesuvianite [basic calcium magnesium aluminum iron oxyfluorosilicate, Ca19(Al,Mg,Fe)13Si18O68(O,OH,F)10] crystallizes in the tetragonal system, usually as short, prismatic crystals with square cross sections.  The color is usually yellow, green, yellowish-green, amber, or greenish-brown.  It transparent to translucent, has a Mohs hardness of 6.5, poor cleavage, a vitreous luster, and a specific gravity of 3.3-3.5.  Vesuvianite is a metamorphic mineral that occurs in skarns, which are the contact-metamorphic zones of limestone deposits, in association with grossular, wollastonite, and andradite.

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES: According to metaphysical practitioners, vesuvianite crystals promote loyalty, cooperation, and courage, while helping to dispel negative thoughts, anger, depression, and fear.  Transparent vesuvianite has limited use in jewelry and is faceted into collectors’ gems; the massive form is sometimes fashioned into cabochons.  In the jewelry trade, vesuvianite gems are usually referred to as “idocrase.”  Vesuvianite has no technological uses.

COLLECTORS’ INFORMATION: Vesuvianite is an uncommon mineral that is collected for its unusual colors and well-developed crystals both as individual and composite specimens, the latter often in association with the garnet-group mineral grossular.