Properties
About Kyanite
Kyanite is a gemstone quality aluminum silicate mineral. Its name is derived from the Greek word ‘kuanos’ or ‘kyanos’, which means ‘deep blue’, alluding to its typical blue colour.
Sources
Nepal is now widely regarded as one of the finest kyanite sources. Nepalese kyanite is said to rival the blue colour of fine Sri Lankan and Madagascar sapphire.
Kyanite can also be found in many other locations around the world. Some of the most important sources include Austria, Burma, Brazil, Cambodia, India, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Tanzania, the United States (Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia) and Zimbabwe. Recently orange kyanite was discovered in Tanzania. Large teal crystals have also recently been found in Kenya’s Umba Valley.
Quality
in addition to blue, kyanite can also be colourless, white, grey, green, orange or yellow. Kyanite typically does not display consistent colouration throughout the gemstone. In fact, most stones exhibit areas of light to dark colour zones, along with white streaks or blotches.
