THE MINERAL EUCRYPTITE

Eucryptite is one of the few silicate minerals that have a trigonal symmetry. This symmetry is far more common among carbonates than among silicates. Eucryptite shares the same symmetry with the emerald green silicate dioptase, phenakite and the fluorescent mineral willemite. Eucryptite belongs to the small Phenakite Group which includes only three minerals; eucryptite, phenakite and willemite. They all have the same basic structure, hence the same symmetry, but different metal ions. Phenakite is the most well crystallized of the three in general, forming the best crystal shapes and the only one consistently cut as gemstones. Willemite is famous for fluorescing a bright green color under UV light and is found in mass at Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey. Eucryptite is rarely cut as a gem and only some specimens fluoresce a pink color, but none the less it can be a interesting mineral for collectors.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

 

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