Diopside - Large Chunk (2-3 inch)

This large chunk of Diopside, 2-4 inches in diameter, is great for any mineral collection.

Diopside is found in ultramafic igneous rocks, and diopside-rich augite is common in mafic rocks, such as olivine basalt and andesite. Diopside is also found in a variety of metamorphic rocks, such as in contact metamorphosed skarns developed from high silica dolomites. It is an important mineral in the Earth’s mantle and is common in peridotite xenoliths erupted in kimberlite and alkali basalt.

Gemstone quality diopside is found in two forms: the black star diopside and the chrome diopside (which includes chromium, giving it a rich green colour).  Chrome diopside is a common constituent of peridotite xenoliths, and dispersed grains are found near kimberlite pipes, and as such are a prospecting indicator for diamonds.

FOUND IN: CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, RUSSIA, BRAZIL, USA

Diopside derives its name from the Greek dis, "twice", and òpsè, "face" in reference to the two ways of orienting the vertical prism.  It was first discovered and described about 1800, by Brazilian naturalist Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva.

Diopside based ceramics and glass-ceramics have potential applications in various technological areas. A diopside based glass-ceramic named ’silceram’ was produced by scientists from Imperial College, UK during the 1980s from blast furnace slag and other waste products. The as produced glass-ceramic is a potential structural material. Similarly, diopside based ceramics and glass-ceramics have potential applications in the field of biomaterials, nuclear waste immobilization and sealing materials in solid oxide fuel cells.

Specifications:

• Color: Commonly light to dark green
• Color of streak: White
• Moh’s hardness: 5.5-6.5
• Specific gravity: 3.278
• Cleavage: Distinct/Good
• Fracture: Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
• Crystal system: Monoclinic
• Chemical composition: MgCaSi₂O₆
• Transparency: Transparent to Opaque