Glittering Stones >> Semi Precious Stones >> Benitoite

Semi Precious Stone Benitoite

Benitoite, a rare blue silicate mineral found in hydrothermally altered serpentinite. Benitoite fluoresces under short wave ultraviolet light, appears to be light blue in color. Dr. Louderback, who conducted the discovery examination of the mineral, named Benitoite, “as it occurs near the head waters of the San Benito River in San Benito County,” California.

Benitoite's hardness makes it suitable for use as a gemstone, though the general lack of usable material has limited this use.

It is a rare mineral found in very few places, most prominently in southern San Benito County, California, Japan and Arkansas. In San Benito, it is found in natrolite veins within glaucophane schist and serpentinite body. In Japan, its occurrence is found in magnesio-riebeckite-quartz-phlogopite-albite dike. The mineral benitoite is typically found with some combination of natrolite, joaquinite, and neptunite on a greenish-grey serpentinite base. Benitoite’s fluorescence is used for identification purposes

Historical Facts of Benitoite

Refractive Index	1.757 - 1.759, 1.802 - 1.804
Chemical Composition	BaTiSi3O9
Hardness	6 - 6.5
Density	3.6
Crystal Group	Hexagonal
Luster	Vitreous
Color	Blue, White, Colorless
Occurrence	San Benito County, California