Jade
Colour: all colours, mostly green
Hardness: 6-7, depending on variety
Fracture: splintery, brittle
Crystal system: monoclinic - aggregrate
Chemical composition: sodium aluminum silicate
Transparency: opaque to transluscent
Refers to two distict minerals, namely jadeite and nephrite. Known as a gemstone for over 7000 years, the Chinese word for jade yu is not used. Rather the name comes from the term piedra de hijada, dating from time of the Spanish conquest of Central and South America when the stone was used as a protection against kidney diseases and hip complaints.
In prehistoric times it was found to be a tough and durable material (it is tougher than steel!) and was used for axes, weapons and tools. In China and pre-Columbian Central America, jade was carved into figures and symbols.
Jade is found in Burma, China, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Taiwan, Alaska and Poland.
Much of the jade today is treated to improve colour and appearance.
There are a number of imitations and some stones, such as serpentine are called ‘jade’ – such as ‘new jade’ or ‘olive jade’. Jade can be confused with aventurine, amazonite, chrysoprase, garnet, prase, prehnite, serpentine, emerald.
Metaphysically, jade is believed to be a symbol of purity and serenity and signifies wisdom gathered in tranquility. It is believed to protect, to bring good luck and friendship.
Jasper
Colour: all colours
Hardness: 6.5-7
Cleavage: none
Fracture: splintery, conchoidal
Crystal system: cryptocrystalline
Chemical composition: silicon dioxide
Transparency: opaque
Jasper is a chalcedony or cryptocrystalline quartz, however some jaspers have a more grainy structure. The name means ‘spotted stone’ in Greek, however history reveals that the term jasper referred to a number of different stones including transparent green varieties!
Usually jasper is multicoloured, striped, flamed or spotted. It is not unusual for jaspers to contain 20% foreign materials. Sometimes it can be grown with agate or opal and includes fossilized material. The inclusion of these different materials, rocks and minerals means that many unusual patterns and pictures can be seen in the stones.
Found in Egypt, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Russia, Uruguay, USA. There are many different varieties with a sea of names describing them. Some of the more well known ones are: picture jasper, leopardskin jasper, poppy jasper, mookaite, imperial, brecciated, kambaba jasper…
Metaphysically – known as the ‘supreme nuturer’ it supports, brings balance and unifies. When used for healing it is believed to support the circulatory and digestive organs and to balance the body’s mineral content.
Jet
Colour: black, dark brown
Hardness: 2.5-4
Cleavage: none
Fracture: conchoidal
Crystal system: organic
Chemical composition: lignite
Transparency: opaque
The name jet comes from a river in Turkey and is a type of coal that can be polished to a deep, velvety lustre. Historical evidence suggests jet may have been mined since 1400BC and pieces of jet have been found in prehistoric burial mounds. Carved jet was sent to Rome during the 1st century AD. It became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria as mourning jewellery and was traditionally used in rosaries. Found in England, Germany, France, Poland, Spain, India, Turkey, Russia, China and the USA.
Kyanite
Colour: blue to colourless, blue-green, brown, blue, green, white
Hardness: 6-7 across axis, 4-4.5 along axes
Cleavage: perfect
Fracture: fibrous, brittle
Crystal system: triclinic
Chemical composition: aluminium silicate
Transparency: transparent, translucent
The name Kyanite comes from the Greek word kyanos which means blue. The cut stone often has streaks and is quite difficult to cut due to its cleavage and variable hardness. It is found in Burma, Brazil, Kenya, Austria, Switzerland, India, Australia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the USA. It can be confused with aquamarine, benitoite, iolite, dumortierite, sapphire and tourmaline.
Metaphysically kyanite is used for meditation and to increase psychic abilities and intuition. It is also believed to cut through illusion, reduce anger and stress. In healing it is believed to treat the throat and brain, relieve pain, lower blood pressure, assist healing after infections, releases excess weight and balances yin-yang energy.
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Labradorite
Colour: Dark grey to gray-black with iridescence, colourless, brownish
Hardness: 6-6.5
Cleavage: perfect
Fracture: uneven, brittle, splintery
Crystal system: triclinic
Chemical composition: sodium calcium aluminium silicate
Transparency: transparent to opaque
Labradorite was first found on the Labrador peninsula in Canada, thus its name. A plagioclase feldspar, it shows labradorescence, or a schiller of lustrous metallic tins, usually in blue/green, although all colours are possible. The colourful effects are due to the interference of light at the junctions of the internal structures.
Spectrolite is a trade name for labradorite found in Finalnd that shows the colour play particularly effectively.
There is a lovely origin myth about the northern lights being trapped in the rocks along the Labrador coast and a wandering Eskimo released them back into the sky with a blow from his spear, but some of the lights still remained trapped and this is labradorite.
Found in Canada, Australia, Finland, Norway, Madagascar, Mexico, Russia and the USA. Can be confused with larvikite.
Metaphysically, Labradorite was called the ‘wizard’s stone’. It is considered a mystical and protective stone, forming a barrier to negative energies, and taking you into another world or into other lives. Both calming and energizing, it imparts strength and perseverance.
Lapis Lazuli
Colour: royal blue, vilet, green-blue
Hardness: 5-6
Cleavage: indistinct
Fracture: conchoidal, grainy
Crystal system: cubic, more often found in a massive form.
Chemical composition: sodium calcium aluminium silicate
Transparency: opaque
Colouring agent: sulphur
Lapis lazuli is actually a rock containing a number of different minerals in differing quantites including lazurite, augite, calcite, diopside, enstatite, mica, hornbelde, hauynite, nosean, sodalite, pyrite. Its name comes from the Latin lapis ‘stone’ and lazuli ‘blue’.Lazuli is an older form of the Arabic word L’azulaus meaning sky, heaven or blue. The French word Azur and the English form Azure came from the same roots.
For over 6000 years, the finest lapis lazuli has come from the West Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan – where it is found irregularly and in difficult terrain. Lapis from this mine was used in the mask of Tutankhamen. It has been used since prehistoric times in jewellery and during the middle ages was the source of ultramarine for blue paint.
The best quality lapis has good, even blue colour and well distributed pyrite flecks. Some deposits have whitish or gray along with the blue, and some have a high incidence of pyrite which can give a greenish cast. Occasionally, lapis may be heated or dyed to improve colour.
It is found in Afghanistan, Russia, Chile, Argentinia, Angola, Burma, Canada, Pakistan and the USA. It is often confused with sodalite, dumorterite, azurite and dyed howlite.
For centuries it was worn to protect the wearer from evil, to contact guardian spirits and to reverse curses. Metaphysically it is believed to stimulate enlightment and enhance psychic abilities, to release stress and bring deep peace, to bring honesty, and compassion and to bond relationships. Crystal healers have used it to treat depression, the nervous and immune systems and migraines.
Larimar
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Colour: blue, blue-green
Hardness: 5
Cleavage: perfect
Fracture: splintery
Crystal System: triclinic, mostly found in massive form.
Chemical composition: sodium calcium silicate hydroxide
Chemical composition: acid silicate hydrate of calcium and sodium.
Transparency: opaque
Colouring agent: cobalt
First discovered in 1916 by Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren, larimar is a bright caribbean blue and has only been found in one location in Barahona in the Dominican Republic. Although natives used larimar for their own jewellery, it was not ‘rediscovered’ until 1974 when it was named larimar (after Larisa, daughter of Miguel Mendez, a geologist and mar, the Spanish word for sea) and mining for the stone began in 1975.
Larimar is a form of pectolite which formed in cavities of volcanic rocks. Can be confused with turquoise.
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Larvikite
Colour: grey, blue-grey
Hardness 6-6.5
Cleavage: perfect in one direction, good in the other.
Crystal System: triclinic
Chemical composition: sodium potassium aluminium silicate
Transparency: translucent to opaque
Larvikite (laurvikite) was named for the locality - the La(u)rvik Fjord region of Norway - by Waldemar Christofer Brögger, Professor of Petrology at the University of Oslo. It is a coarse grained feldspar rich rock that shows flashes of blue which come from individual grains that exhibit a chatoyant-like appearance. Larvikite has a history of being used as a facing stone in architectural applications.
Larvikite is sometimes incorrectly sold as labradorite or spectrolite.
Lava
 
Colour: black, dark brown
Lava rock is an igneous volcanic basalt rock formed during volcanic eruptions. Containing air bubbles called vesicles, these bubbles are formed when gas is trapped and the lava cools and hardens.
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Lightweight and smooth, some stones may have had a surface treatment to deepen the colour and reduce abrasiveness. Lava from Mt. Vesuvius (near Pompeii) was popular for jewellery in the 19th century. Currently mined in Iceland, Indonesia.
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A stone of strength and fertility. It provides stability in times of change, and helps to dissipate anger and provide guidance and understanding as it assists one in "bouncing back". A very grounding stone, black Lava will strengthen our connection to Mother Earth.
Lepidolite
Colour: violet to pale pink, white, gray, yellow.
Hardness: 2.5-3
Cleavage: perfect
Fracture: uneven
Crystal System: monoclinic
Chemical composition: KLi2AlSi4O10F(OH) (potassium lithium hydroxide fluorine aluminium silicate )
The name lepidolite is from the Greek word lepidos, meaning scale and lithos meaning stone.
A form of mica, it contains a lithium and rubellite gives it the pinkish colour and mica platelets give it a somewhat sparkly appearance. It sometimes has black inclusions/markings. Found in Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Argentina, Canada, Madagascar, Zimbabwe and in the USA.
This gemstone is purported to have a calming effect and relieve muscle pain by relaxing the nerves. It is said to help people reorganize their old ways of thinking and acting so they can meet the challenge of change.
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