Inexpensive stone with a healing effect Diopside: varieties, who will suit, mineral care, unique photos

Diopside is a stone that has a wide variety of colors. There are emerald green stones found in the 80s of the last century and called "Siberian emeralds", as well as lilac, lilac, purple, blue, yellow, dark brown to almost black.

History and origin of the name

The variety of colors is reflected in the name of the stone, which consists of two Greek roots. "Di-" means "two", and "opsis" - "view", "face". It turns out "two-faced". But that's putting it mildly. Diopside has many faces and has at least five guises.

In fact, the name is given because of the two possible orientations of the prismatic bands in the crystal.

The stone is also known under another name "malakolit" from the Greek word "malakos" - soft.

Interesting: The largest black diopside, weighing 133 carats, was found in India, now it is on display at the Smithsonian Museum in the USA. The 38 carat green stone can be seen at the Museum of Natural History in New York.

Place of Birth

Gem deposits can be found in volcanic and metamorphic rocks.

Russian deposits of purple violans and emerald green diopsides have been found in the Urals, in the Baikal region, on the Kola Peninsula, in Altai, near the Aldan River in Yakutia, in the Sayan Mountains.

Large deposits are found in Burma (yellowish green stones), Italy (purple and blue), China, Finland, Tanzania, Pakistan and Afghanistan (emerald green), Australia, USA and South Africa (yellow gems), India and Canada ( red-brown).

Gem-quality diopsides are classified as large if their mass is more than 15 carats.

Interesting: Diopside deposits often indicate kimberlite pipes in which diamonds are mined.

Physical Properties

Diopside has a hardness of 5.5 to 6, glassy luster. Fragile. The fracture is stepped, uneven. The syngony is monoclinic. The color can be grey, green, purple, mauve, sky blue, tan, or almost black. Density 3.2-3.5 g/cm3. Chrome diopsides and hederbergites have pleochroism, that is, a change in shade when the stone is turned. Opaque and translucent stones with a wavy surface have pleochroism.

Chemical properties and composition

Diopside is a mineral belonging to the group of pyroxenes. Close to hederbergite, but containing magnesium instead of iron. According to its chemical composition, it is a mixed silicate of calcium and magnesium. There is no clear boundary between diopside and hederbergite. The color of the stone depends on the content of iron and other impurities (V, Mn, Ti, Zn, Al). Containing only calcium and magnesium minerals are colorless, they are the final member of the diopside-hedenberite series. Chrome diopsides have an emerald green color due to chromium impurities.

The chemical formula is CaMg [Si2O6].

Varieties

Diopside has many varieties that differ in color and composition, which can be seen in the photo.

violan - deep purple, pale violet, purple or blue, trivalent manganese ions give color;
shefferite is reddish-brown, the color is given to it by divalent manganese ions;
zinc shefferite is rich in zinc and manganese;
jeffersonite - zinc shefferite containing iron, color brownish-green, chocolate or almost black;
chrome diopside has an emerald color;
lavrovite - apple-green or grassy-green, due to impurities of vanadium and chromium;
salite - an opaque yellowish-green variety of diopside;
antochroite - pale pink due to the admixture of manganese;
Black Star is the most expensive opaque diopside with a pronounced asterism effect, it can be found in Africa and Italy. The Italians are called alalites, after the name of the Ala River, on the banks of which they were found. With the correct cut, a quadrangular star of golden or silver color is revealed.

There are gems that have the effect of "cat's eye".

fakes

Sometimes epidote, olivine, enstatite and augite are given out as diopside, which can often be distinguished from dioptase only in the laboratory by composition.

Dioptase is an inexpensive stone, so it is very rare to fake it. And yet you can find painted glass or hornblende, passed off as diopside. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish them.

magical properties

Diopside is recommended to be worn as a talisman by doctors, lawyers and teachers, its magical properties are manifested in the purification of the aura. It gives the ability to acquire the sympathy of others, enhances cognitive abilities and restores energy balance.

Gives ability to mathematics and other exact sciences.Helps creative people to find extraordinary ideas. Gives calmness, relieves fears, aggressiveness and depression, improves mood.

Psychics can use it to understand magical signs. To do this, you need to hold an unset stone in the area of \u200b\u200bthe third eye.

It does not tolerate deception, revealing any dishonest thoughts, so you should not even try to use it for bad purposes.

Medicinal properties

Diopsides have the following medicinal properties:

- restore hormonal balance;
- accelerate recovery after serious illnesses and operations;
- improve blood circulation; restore kidney function;
- heal heart disease;
- protect against infections.

Medicinal bracelets are made from diopsides. For the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and the treatment of lung diseases, they are worn on the left hand, and to improve the functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract - on the right. In the first case, the stones are set in silver, and in the second, a gold setting is needed.

Diopside protects against cardiovascular diseases.