Kornerupine

Kornerupine (also called Prismatine) is a rare boro-silicate mineral with the chemical formula (Mg,Fe)4(Al,Fe)6(SiO4,BO4)5(O,OH)2. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic - dipyramidal crystal system as brown, green, yellow to colorless slender tourmaline like prisms or in massive fibrous forms. It has a Mohs hardness of 7 and a specific gravity of 3.3 to 3.34. Its indices of refraction are nα=1.660 - 1.671, nβ=1.673 - 1.683 and nγ=1.674 - 1.684. It occurs in boron-rich volcanic and sedimentary rocks which have undergone high grade metamorphism. It is also found in metamorphosed anorthosite complexes. Kornerupine is valued as a gemstone when it is found in translucent green to yellow shades. The emerald green varieties are especially sought after. It forms a solid solution series with prismatine. Strongly pleochroic, it appears green or reddish brown when viewed from different directions. It has a vitreous luster. It was first described in 1884 for an occurrence in Fiskernæs in southwest Greenland. It was named in honor of the Danish geologist, Andreas Nikolaus Kornerup Andreas Kornerup [de] (1857–1883). Although kornerupine was named in 1884, it was not until 1912 that gem-quality material was found and it remains uncommon to this day. Deposits are found in Burma (Myanmar), Canada (Quebec), Kenya, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and South Africa.