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Gemstone
Crystal System
Density
Hardness
Refractive index
Treatments
Actinolite monoclinic 3.00 5-6 1.602-1.655 none known

 




actinolite

Color:
Light to dark green, yellowish green, black

Clarity: Transparent to Opaque
Optic Character: AGG; DR, biaxial negative
Cause of Color: Iron
Fluorescence: Inert
Fracture : Uneven
Luster : Vitreous
Cleavage : Perfect in 2 directions
Durability: Good
Misnomers: Cats-eye jade
Characteristics for Identification:
Cat-eye-parallel fibrous structure
Localities:
Taiwan, Canada, Madagascar, Tanzania, United States.

Actinolite
Ca2 (Mg,Fe)5 Si8O22(OH)2

Actinolite is most commonly a rock forming mineral and a membr of the Amphibole Group. It is best know, gemologically as the a constituent of darker color nephrite jade. Depending on it's iron content, it can vary from very pale to extremely dark green.

Actinolite can be confused with:
Cats-eyeTourmaline
Cat-eye Apatite

 

actinolite crystals