|
| Name Origin | Gaylussite gets its name after the eminent French chemist, Prof. L. J. Gay-Lussac |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | Na2Ca(CO3)2.5H2O. |
| Color | Colorless, white, grayish, yellowish. |
| Hardness | 2.5 - 3 on Mohs Scale |
| Crystal System | Monoclinic. Crystals elongated, flattened, and wedge-shaped |
| Cleavage | Perfect 1 direction; fracture conchoidal, brittle. |
| Specific Gravity (SG) | 1.995 |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Occurrence |
In evaporite deposits rich inborax or alkaline lakes |
| Stone sizes |
Crystals from Searles Lake have been found up to 2 inches long. Gems could be cut from such crystals up to about 20-30 carats |
Note: This mineral is extremely hard to cut because of its softness and cleavage. Gaylussite dries out slowly in air and the surgace may turn white. Therefore it strongly recommended to store this stone in sealed containers to prevent dehydration. Gaylussite is seen only in collections, and relatively few stones have been cut. Transparent crystals are not very rare, but cut gems are relatively uninteresting.
Pink Gaylussite color stone
Photo Credit:
"Gaylussit - Lagunillas, Venezuela" by Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaylussit_-_Lagunillas,_Venezuela.jpg#/media/File:Gaylussit_-_Lagunillas,_Venezuela.jpg
Reference:
1- Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, Joel E. Arem, VNR publications, New York.
"Gaylussit - Lagunillas, Venezuela" by Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaylussit_-_Lagunillas,_Venezuela.jpg#/media/File:Gaylussit_-_Lagunillas,_Venezuela.jpg
Reference:
1- Color Encyclopedia of Gemstones, Joel E. Arem, VNR publications, New York.