38 - kyanite

Hello friends, Welcome to the Mineral Repository at the Department of Geology, Shivaji Science College, Nagpur. 

I am Kyanite, a captivating mineral known for my distinctive bladed or columnar crystal formations. My chemical composition is typically aluminum silicate. I belong to the silicate mineral group and am often found in metamorphic rocks such as schist and gneiss. One of my notable features is my unique property of anisotropy, which means I exhibit different physical properties depending on the direction of my crystal structure. This is particularly evident in my characteristic color zoning, where I can appear blue, green, gray, or white in different parts of my crystals. I am prized for my use in the manufacturing of high-temperature ceramics, refractory materials, and abrasives due to my high heat resistance and hardness. In addition to industrial applications, I am also valued as a gemstone for jewelry, especially when cut into cabochons to showcase my chatoyancy or cat's-eye effect. 

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