Benitoite

Benitoite (/bəˈniːtoʊaɪt/) is an extremely

rare blue barium titanium cyclosilicate,
found in hydrothermally altered
serpentinite. It forms in low temperature,
high pressure environments typical of
subduction zones at convergent plate
boundaries. Benitoite fluoresces under
short wave ultraviolet light, appearing
bright blue to bluish white in color. The
more rarely seen clear to white benitoite
crystals fluoresce red under long-wave
UV light.
 Benitoite

Benitoite on natrolite

General

Category Cyclosilicate

Formula BaTiSi3O9
(repeating unit)

Strunz classification 9.CA.05

Crystal system Hexagonal

Crystal class Ditrigonal dipyramidal

(6m2)
H-M symbol: (6 m2)

Space group P6c2

Unit cell a = 6.641, c =

9.7597(10) [Å]; Z = 2
 Identification

Color Blue, colorless

Crystal habit Tabular dipyramidal

crystals, granular

Twinning On {0001} by rotation

Cleavage [1011] poor

Fracture Conchoidal

Mohs scale hardness 6 - 6.5

Luster Vitreous

Streak White

Diaphaneity Transparent to
translucent

Specific gravity 3.65

Optical properties Uniaxial (+)

Refractive index nω = 1.756 - 1.757 nε =

1.802 - 1.804
Birefringence δ = 0.046

Pleochroism O = colorless; E =
purple, indigo, greenish
blue

Dispersion 0.036–0.046[1]

Solubility Insoluble: HCl, H2SO4

Soluble: HF

Other characteristics Blue fluorescence

under SW UV; intense
blue
cathodoluminescence

References [2][3][4]

It was discovered in 1907 by prospector

James M. Couch in the San Benito
Mountains roughly halfway between San
Francisco and Los Angeles. Couch
originally believed the mineral was a
corundum mineral known as sapphire
due to its resemblance of color. In 1909,
a sample was sent to the University of
California, Berkeley where mineralogist
Dr. George D. Louderback realized it was
a previously unknown mineral. Corundum
(sapphire) has a defined Mohs hardness
of 9, while benitoite is much softer. He
named it benitoite for its occurrence near
the headwaters of the San Benito River in
San Benito County, California.[5][6]

Benitoite occurs in a number of isolated

locations globally, but gemstone quality
material has only been found in
California at the Benito Gem Mine where
it was first discovered. It has been
correctly identified in Montana, Arkansas,
Japan, and Australia although they
formed under slightly different conditions
and only grow large enough to be
considered an accessory mineral. In
1985 benitoite was named as the official
state gem of California.[7][8]

Benitoite has a rare 5 pointed twinned

crystal form, and an even rarer 6 pointed
twinned crystal form, "star of David", with
exactly 24 known samples making it
more valuable than diamonds.[9]

Associated minerals and

locations
Benitoite typically occurs with an unusual
set of minerals, along with minerals that
make up its host rock. Frequently
associated minerals include: natrolite,
neptunite, joaquinite, serpentine and
albite.

Benitoite is a rare mineral found in very

few locations including San Benito
County, California, Japan and Arkansas.
In the San Benito occurrence, it is found
in natrolite veins within glaucophane
schist within a serpentinite body. In
Japan, the mineral occurs in a magnesio-
riebeckite-quartz-phlogopite-albite dike
cutting a serpentinite body.[4]
Blue benitoite crystals on white
natrolite, Dallas Gem Mine, San
Benito Co., California, US

Benitoite crystals under UV light

References

Wikimedia Commons has media

related to Benitoite.

1. O'Donoghue, Matthew (2006). Gems:

Their Sources, Descriptions and
Identification (6th ed.). Oxford:
Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 389.
ISBN 978-0-75-065856-0.
2. WebMineral Listing
3. MinDat Listing
4. Handbook of Mineralogy
5. Louderback, George Davis (July 30,
1907). "Benitoite, A New California
Gem Mineral". Bulletin of the
 Department of Geology. University of
California Publications. 5 (9): 149–
153. OCLC 6255540 .
6. Wilkins, Al (March 23, 2002). "SCFM
News March 02, Featuring
Benitoite" . Mineralogical Society of
Southern California. Archived from
the original on May 16, 2013.
Retrieved April 3, 2014.
7. "Mineral Resources" . California
Department of Conservation -
California Geological Survey.
Archived from the original on
August 21, 2008. Retrieved April 3,
2014.
 8. "Benitoite" . Gemology Online.
Retrieved 8 November 2012.
9. Pool, Bob (August 17, 2013).
"California visitor's rare find: A star-
shaped piece of benitoite" .
Retrieved April 3, 2014.

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