Help mindat.org|Log In|Register|
Home PageMindat NewsThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusManagement TeamContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatSponsor a PageSponsored PagesTop Available PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on MindatThe Mindat Store
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryRandom MineralSearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
StatisticsThe ElementsMember ListBooks & MagazinesMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryHow to Link to MindatDevice Settings
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day Gallery

Kyanite

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Kyanite

Central St Gotthard Massif, Leventina, Ticino, Switzerland
Kyanite

Goiás, Brazil
Kyanite, etc.

Graves Mountain, Lincoln Co., Georgia, USA
Kyanite

Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil
Kyanite

Central St Gotthard Massif, Leventina, Ticino, Switzerland
Kyanite

Goiás, Brazil
Kyanite, etc.

Graves Mountain, Lincoln Co., Georgia, USA
Kyanite

Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil
Kyanite

Central St Gotthard Massif, Leventina, Ticino, Switzerland
Kyanite

Goiás, Brazil
Formula:
Al2(SiO4)O
Colour:
Blue, white, light gray, green, rarely yellow, orange, pink
Lustre:
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Greasy, Pearly
Hardness:
5½ - 7
Specific Gravity:
3.53 - 3.67
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in 1789 by Abraham Gottlieb Werner from the Greek word "kyanos", meaning "blue," the common color of the species. The French spelling, "Cyanite", was commonly used by mineralogists through much of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Polymorph of:
Andalusite, Sillimanite
Common metamorphic silicate mineral.
The generally bluish colour is caused by Fe(II)-Fe(III) charge transfer (Faye and Nickel, 1969).


Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Kyanite.


Classification of Kyanite

IMA status:
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Strunz 8th ed.:
8/B.02-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) ed.:
9.AF.15

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
A : Nesosilicates
F : Nesosilicates with additional anions; cations in [4], [5] and/or only [6] coordination
Dana 8th ed.:
52.2.2c.1

52 : NESOSILICATES Insular SiO4 Groups and O,OH,F,H2O
2 : Insular SiO4 Groups and O, OH, F, and H2O with cations in [4] and >[4] coordination
Hey's CIM Ref.:
15.2

15 : Silicates of Aluminum

Physical Properties of Kyanite

Lustre:
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Greasy, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Comment:
Somewhat pearly on {100} || to the perfect cleavage
Colour:
Blue, white, light gray, green, rarely yellow, orange, pink
Streak:
Colorless
Hardness:
5½ - 7 on Mohs scale
Comment:
5.5 parallel to [001], 7 parallel to [100]
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on (100), good on (010)
Parting:
On (001)
Fracture:
Splintery
Density:
3.53 - 3.67 g/cm3 (Measured)    3.67 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of Kyanite

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.712 - 1.718 nβ = 1.720 - 1.725 nγ = 1.727 - 1.734
2V:
Measured: 82° to 83°, Calculated: 84°
Birefringence:
0.015
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.015 - 0.016
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
High
Dispersion:
r > v weak
Optical Extinction:
Inclined. Z>Y>X; X perpendicular to {100}, Z' ^ c = 30° on {100}, Z' ^ c = 7° on {010}.
Pleochroism:
Weak
Comments:
X= colorless
Y= violet-blue
Z= cobalt blue

Chemical Properties of Kyanite

Formula:
Al2(SiO4)O
IMA Formula:
Al2OSiO4
Elements listed:
Al, O, Si - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of Kyanite

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Setting:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.1262(12) Å, b = 7.8520(10) Å, c = 5.5724(10) Å
α = 89.99(2)°, β = 101.11(2)°, γ = 106.03(1)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.908 : 1 : 0.71
Unit Cell V:
293.60 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals bladed or tabular.
Twinning:
Lamellar on (100), common
Comment:
Non-standard setting.

Crystallographic forms of Kyanite

Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
Click on an icon to view
Kyanite no.6 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by www.smorf.nl.

Toggle
Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes

Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent

View
Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation

X-Ray Powder Diffraction

Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
3.35 (100)
3.18 (20)
2.70 (40)
2.51 (50)
2.35 (40)
2.16 (20)
1.960 (50)
1.929 (80)
Comments:
ICDD 11-46

Synonyms of Kyanite

Cyanite

Distene

Disthene

Other Language Names for Kyanite

Basque:Zianita
Croatian:Kianit
Dutch:Kyaniet
Esperanto:Kianito
Estonian:Küaniit
Finnish:Kyaniitti
Hungarian:Kianit
Italian:Cianite
Japanese:藍晶石
Polish:Dysten
Portuguese:Cianite
Russian:Кианит
Simplified Chinese:蓝晶石
Slovak:Kyanit

Varieties of Kyanite

Rhätizite

A white to gray-white variety of Kyanite.

Common Associates

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Quartz141 photos of Kyanite associated with Quartz on mindat.org.
Staurolite66 photos of Kyanite associated with Staurolite on mindat.org.
Biotite28 photos of Kyanite associated with Biotite on mindat.org.
Muscovite26 photos of Kyanite associated with Muscovite on mindat.org.
Garnet26 photos of Kyanite associated with Garnet on mindat.org.
Corundum24 photos of Kyanite associated with Corundum on mindat.org.
Pyrite21 photos of Kyanite associated with Pyrite on mindat.org.
Rutile17 photos of Kyanite associated with Rutile on mindat.org.
Talc15 photos of Kyanite associated with Talc on mindat.org.
Hematite14 photos of Kyanite associated with Hematite on mindat.org.

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping

9.AF.05SillimaniteAl2(SiO4)O
9.AF.10AndalusiteAl2(SiO4)O
9.AF.10KanonaiteMn3+Al(SiO4)O
9.AF.20MulliteAl4+2xSi2-2xO10-x
9.AF.20Krieselite(Al,Ga)2(GeO4)(OH)2
9.AF.23BoromulliteAl9BSi2O19
9.AF.25YoderiteMg(Al,Fe3+)3(SiO4)2O(OH)
9.AF.30MagnesiostauroliteMg(Mg,Li)3(Al,Mg)18Si8O44(OH)4
9.AF.30StauroliteFe2+2Al9Si4O23(OH)
9.AF.30ZincostauroliteZn2Al9Si4O23(OH)
9.AF.35TopazAl2(SiO4)(F,OH)2
9.AF.40NorbergiteMg3(SiO4)(F,OH)2
9.AF.45AlleghanyiteMn2+5(SiO4)2(OH)2
9.AF.45Chondrodite(Mg,Fe2+)5(SiO4)2(F,OH)2
9.AF.45ReinhardbraunsiteCa5(SiO4)2(OH,F)2
9.AF.45KumtyubeiteCa5(SiO4)2F2
9.AF.45HydroxylchondroditeMg5(SiO4)2(OH)2
9.AF.50Humite(Mg,Fe2+)7(SiO4)3(F,OH)2
9.AF.50Manganhumite(Mn2+,Mg)7(SiO4)3(OH)2
9.AF.50Unnamed (Ca-analogue of Humite)Ca7(SiO4)4F2
9.AF.55ClinohumiteMg9(SiO4)4F2
9.AF.55SonoliteMn2+9(SiO4)4(OH)2
9.AF.55HydroxylclinohumiteMg9(SiO4)4(OH)2
9.AF.60LeucophoeniciteMn2+7(SiO4)3(OH)2
9.AF.65Ribbeite(Mn2+,Mg)5(SiO4)2(OH)2
9.AF.70JerrygibbsiteMn2+9(SiO4)4(OH)2
9.AF.75FranciscaniteMn2+6(V5+,☐)2(SiO4)2(O,OH)6
9.AF.75ÖrebroiteMn2+3(Sb5+,Fe3+)(SiO4)(O,OH)3
9.AF.75WeliniteMn2+6(W6+,Mg)2(SiO4)2(O,OH)6
9.AF.80EllenbergeriteMg6(Mg,Ti,Zr,◻)2(Al,Mg)6Si8O28(OH)10
9.AF.85Chloritoid(Fe2+,Mg,Mn2+)Al2(SiO4)O(OH)2
9.AF.85MagnesiochloritoidMgAl2(SiO4)O(OH)2
9.AF.85Ottrélite(Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Al2(SiO4)O(OH)2
9.AF.90PoldervaartiteCaCa[SiO3(OH)](OH)
9.AF.90OlmiiteCaMn2+[SiO3(OH)](OH)

Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping

15.1AndalusiteAl2(SiO4)O
15.3SillimaniteAl2(SiO4)O
15.4MulliteAl4+2xSi2-2xO10-x
15.5PyrophylliteAl2Si4O10(OH)2
15.6DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
15.7NacriteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
15.8KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
15.9MetahalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
15.10HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
15.11Allophane(Al2O3)(SiO2)1.3-2 · 2.5-3H2O

Fluorescence of Kyanite

In UV light:
Not fluorescent.

Other Information

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Ceramics

Kyanite in petrology

An essential component of (items highlighted in red)
Common component of (items highlighted in red)

References for Kyanite

Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Klaproth, M.H. (1810) Chemische Untersuchung des Kyanits, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Fünfter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 6-11.
Clark, S.P., Robertson, E.C., Birch, F. (1957) Experimental determination of kyanite-sillimanite equilibrium relations at high temperatures and pressure: American Journal of Science: 255: 628-640.
Pearson, G.R., Shaw, D.M. (1960) Trace elements in kyanite, sillimanite and andalusite. American Mineralogist: 45: 808-817.
Burnham, C.W. (1963) Refinement of the crystal structure of kyanite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 118: 337-360.
Sgarlata, F. (1965) La struttura della cianite. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma, 241-256.
Hafner, S.S., Raymond, M. (1967) Nuclear quadrupole coupling tensors of Al27 in kyanite. American Mineralogist: 52: 1632-1642.
Chinner, G.A., Smith, J.W., Knowles, C.R. (1969) Transition metal contents of Al2SiO5 polymorphs: American Journal of Science: 267A: 96-113.
Faye, G.H., Nickel, E.H. (1969) On the origin of colour and pleochroism of kyanite. The Canadian Mineralogist: 10: 35-46.
Winter, J.K., Ghose, S. (1979) Thermal expansion and high-temperature crystal chemistry of the Al2SiO5 polymorphs. American Mineralogist: 64: 573-586.
Kerrick, D.M. (1990) Metamorphic reactions. In D.M. Kerrick, Ed., The Al2SiO5 polymorphs. 22, 223-253. Reviews in Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America, Chantilly, Virginia.
Kerrick, D.M. (1990) The Al2SiO5 polymorphs, 22, 406 p. Reviews in Mineralogy, Mineralogical Society of America, Chantilly, Virginia.
Comodi, P., Zanazzi, P.F., Poli, S., Schmidt, M.W. (1997) High-pressure behavior of kyanite: decomposition of kyanite into stishovite and corundum. American Mineralogist: 82: 460-466.
Yang, H., Downs, R.T., Finger, L.W., Hazen, R.M., Prewitt, C.T. (1997) Compressibility and crystal structure of kyanite at high pressure. American Mineralogist: 82: 467-474.
Pan, Y., Fleet, M.E. (1999) Kyanite in the Western Superior Province of Ontario: implications for Archean accretionary tectonics. The Canadian Mineralogist: 37: 359-373.
Rao, M.N., Chaplot, S.L., Choudhury, N., Rao, K.R., Azuah, R.T., Montfrooji, W.T., Bennington, S.M. (1999) Lattice dynamics and inelastic neutron scattering from sillimanite and kyanite Al2SiO5. Physical Review: B60: 12061.
Dahaoui, S., Ghermani, N.E., Ghose, S., Howard, J.A.K. (2001) Electric field gradient tensors at the aluminum sites in the Al2SiO5 polymorphs from CCD high-resolution X-ray diffraction data: comparison with 27 Al NMR results. American Mineralogist: 86: 159-164.
Iglesias, M., Schwarz, K., Blaha, P., Baldomir, D. (2001) Electronic structure and electric field gradient calculations of Al2SiO5 polymorphs. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals: 28: 67-75.
Winkler, B., Hytha, M., Warren, M.C., Milman, V., Gale, J.D., Schreuer, J. (2001) Calculation of the elastic constants of the Al2SiO5 polymorphs andalusite, sillimanite, and kyanite. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 216: 67-70.
Wieczorek, A.K., Beran, A. (2002) Infrared spectroscopic characterization of OH defects in kyanite. 18th IMA General Meeting 1st to 6th September Edinburgh, Scotland (2002).
Bell, D., Rossman, G.R., Maldener J., Endisch, D., Rauch, F. (2004) Hydroxide in kyanite: a quantitative determination of the absolute amount and calibration of the IR spectrum. American Mineralogist: 89: 998-1003.
Friedrich, A., Kunz, M., Winkler, B., Le Bihan, T. (2004) High-pressure behavior of sillimanite and kyanite: compressibility, decomposition and indications of a new high-pressure phase. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 219: 324-329.
Ohuchi, F.S., Ghose, S., Engelhard, M.H., Baer, D.R. (2006) Chemical bonding and electronic structures of the Al2SiO5 polymorphs, andalusite, sillimanite, and kyanite: X-ray photoelectron- and electron energy loss spectroscopy studies. American Mineralogist: 91: 740-746.
Chadwick, K.M., Rossman, G.R. (2009) Orange kyanite from Tanzania. Gems & Gemology: 45: 146-147.
Manfred Wildner, Anton Beran, Friedrich Koller (2013) Spectroscopic characterisation and crystal field calculations of varicoloured kyanites from Loliondo, Tanzania. Mineralogy and Petrology: 107: 289-310.

Internet Links for Kyanite

mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2303.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
  • Look for Kyanite on Google
  • Look for Kyanite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Kyanite on Webmineral
  • Look for Kyanite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Kyanite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Fine minerals from bisbeeborn.com
  • Kyanite specimens for sale - minfind.com
  • Buy rare minerals from Excalibur Minerals
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • MINSERVICE - buy on www.minservice.com - Worldwide Classical and Rarity
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Search for - Kyanite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Quality Minerals at Fair Prices
  • Buy from McDougall Minerals
    • Specimens:
    The following Kyanite specimens are currently listed for sale on minfind.com.

    Localities for Kyanite

    Show Locality List (1548 Items)
    Mineral and/or Locality  
    Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
    Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2017, except where stated. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters.
    Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us Current server date and time: July 26, 2017 13:46:33 Page generated: July 22, 2017 06:16:47
    Go to top of page