Heart of Stone Studio Blog

Rhodonite

This is a very pretty mineral that is either pink or red.  Unlike some minerals, it does not have any industrial uses. Instead, it is used primarily in jewelry and as mineral specimens.  Stones used for jewelry often have inclusions of black manganese oxide along with the red of the rhodonite.

The name comes from the Greek word for “rose” or “rosy.”  It was formally named in 1819 by Christoph Friedrich Jasche.

Technically, it is a manganese inosilicate, with a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5.  It is a relatively uncommon mineral, found in metamorphic rocks in a few deposits in different places in the world, including Australia, Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Peru, England, and the United States.  Rhodonite is the state gem of Massachusetts.

Metaphysically, it is said to have a strong energy of love, altruism, and generosity. It is said to be associated with the root (1^st) and heart (4^th) chakras, and is said to help people fulfill their destiny.

It is one of the birthstones associated with the Taurus astrological sign.

We have a number of fabulous rhodonite cabochons suitable for jewelry designs on our website, http://www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodonite, http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/rhodonite.html, http://www.mindat.org/min-3407.html, http://geology.com/minerals/rhodonite.shtml, Robert Simmons, 2015, The Pocket Book of Stones.

Azurite

This is a gorgeous mineral  that comes in shades of blue, deep blue, or purple.  It is found primarily in copper ore deposits, and is often associated with the mineral malachite.

Azurite has been used as a pigment since ancient times, and was mentioned in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History (Pliny wrote most of his Natural History in 77 A.D. in Latin, and died in 79 A.D. watching the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in what is now central Italy).  Many of the vivid blues in paintings from the Middle Ages have now been shown to be made from azurite.

Azurite as a mineral is a copper carbonate, and is relatively soft, with a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4.0. It is destroyed by high levels of heat, and the color can fade over time if it is left out in bright sunlight. When it is used in jewelry or if it is used as a specimen in a collection, it should be stored, like any blue or purple stone, in a cool dark place to prevent it from fading.

When azurite is cut as cabochons for jewelry, it is not soft, particularly if it is cut within a quartz matrix.

The mineral is found in the United States, Russia, Australia, China, Chile, and several parts of Europe.

Metaphysically, azurite is said to be good for meditation, promoting an opening of the third eye, an enhancement of psychic and intuitive abilities, and a clearing of the throat chakra. It is also said to provide insight into emotions and helps emotional growth.

We have a limited supply of azurite on our website, www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azurite, http://www.mindat.org/min-447.html, http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/azurite, Robert Simmons, 2015, The Pocket Book of Stones.

Fossil Orthoceras

These fossils have a stunning symmetry of repeating elements within a black or brown matrix. The name comes from combining the Greek words for “straight” and for “horn”, because these fossils with their tapering ends look like straight horns.  

Orthoceras were cephalopods related to the modern nautilus (modern cephalopods are the octopus and squid). However, while the nautilus has a shell that curves into a spiral, Orthoceras had shells that were straight.

The body of Orthoceras consisted of a number of chambers, with the smallest at one end and the largest at the other end. As the animal grew, it made larger and large chambers, living in the largest chamber at one end.

The Orthoceras were thought to be predators, catching a variety of small prey with a series of tentacles sticking out of the biggest chamber. They had eyes, jaws, ink sacs like modern squid, and a complex nervous system.

Running down the length of the chambers is a black line, called the sipuncule.  This tube had a couple of functions. One was that the animal could force water out of the end of the tube, propelling itself forward. The other was that the animal could adjust its buoyancy in the water by filling the tube with either more air or more water.

These animals lived during the Ordovician period, 488 to 443 million years ago, and finally went extinct in the Devonian period, 416 to 359 million years ago. When they would die, they died in large numbers, probably immediately after reproducing, leaving a huge number of fossils in limestone sediments.

The fossils are found world-wide. Some of the best fossils come from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, which once were the floor of a seabed and now are tall mountains rising above the desert floor of the Sahara.

Metaphysically, these fossils are said to produce a sense of confidence, and promote a sense of pride and success in business.

We have a number of Orthoceras fossils on our website, www.heartofstonestudio.com.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthoceras, http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/orthoceras.html, https://www.paleodirect.com/strceph1.htm, http://www.crystalsrocksandgems.com/Healing_Crystals/Orthoceras.html, http://www.crystalcaves.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/2.1-Orthoceras-Cephalopod-Fossil.pdf