Andalusite

Phase diagram of Al2SiO5 (nesosilicates).[5]

Kyanite

Andalusite

Sillimanite

210px

Phase diagram of Al₂SiO₅
(nesosilicates).

Andalusite is an aluminium nesosilicate mineral with the chemical formula Al₂SiO₅. Andalusite is trimorphic with kyanite and sillimanite, being the lower pressure mid temperature polymorph. At higher temperatures and pressures, andalusite may convert to sillimanite. Thus, as with its other polymorphs, andalusite is an aluminosilicate index mineral, providing clues to depth and pressures involved in producing the host rock.

Varieties

The variety chiastolite commonly contains dark inclusions of carbon or clay which form a cruciform pattern when shown in cross-section.

A clear variety first found in Andalusia, Spain can be cut into a gemstone. Faceted andalusite stones give a play of red, green, and yellow colors that resembles a muted form of iridescence, although the colors are actually the result of unusually strong pleochroism.

It is associated with mica schist which increases alkali content in ultimate product and so it has not been exploited economically so far.

Occurrence

Andalusite is a common metamorphic mineral which forms under low pressure and low to high temperatures. The minerals kyanite and sillimanite are polymorphs of andalusite, each occurring under different temperature-pressure regimes and are therefore rarely found together in the same rock. Because of this the three minerals are a useful tool to help identify the pressure-temperature paths of the host rock in which they are found. An example rock includes hornfels.

It was first described and named after the type locality in the Ronda Massif, Málaga, Andalusia, Spain in 1789.

See also

• List of minerals

References

• http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/andalusite.html
• http://s804.photobucket.com/user/mutantnoggins/media/AndalusiteAND10x5mag_zpsefd120ed.jpg.html Source: Andalusia, Spain. Shown: Cross-section

• Gemological Institute of America, GIA Gem Reference Guide 1995, ISBN 0-87311-019-6
• http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/andalusite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy
• http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=217&ld=1&pho= Mindat.org
• http://webmineral.com/data/Andalusite.shtml Webmineral data
• International Colored Gem Association: Anadalusite