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Charoite

Charoite
  • Translations : Charoïte, Charoit, Caroitas, Czaroit, Charoita, Чароит, チャロアイト
  • Etymology : Its name comes from the river Charo, tributary of the Oliomka, tributary of the Lena, Aldan Massif, Republic of Sakha (or Yakutia - North East of Siberia).
  • Discovery: In the 1940s, described in 1978. by Russian minéralogist, Rogov
  • Type localityRussia

Charoite had long been known to Mongols who used it to create ornaments and jewellery.

It was a stone of great value for this people who used it during ceremonies to "heal the evils of the mind and remove the daemons".

To learn more about the Charoite, See Mindat.org->

Gemological data

  • Chemical formula : (K,Sr)15-16(Ca,Na)32[Si6O11(O,OH)6]2[Si12O18(O,OH)12]2[Si17O25(O,OH)18]2(OH,F)4 · ~3H2O
  • Hardness (Mohs) : 5 - 6
  • Density : 2.54 - 2.58
  • Refractive index : Np1,550 Nm 1,553 Ng 1,559
  • Birefingence : 0.009
  • Crystal system : Monoclinic
  • Group : Silicates
  • Mineralogical Class : Inosilicates

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