Diopside

Diopside is a mineral that most people think is green – however, it can occur in various colours.

The most popular for collectors and jewellers is Chrome Diopside, which forms dark green and often clear crystals – however, there are other varieties!

 

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Appearance, Uses and History

Diopside is a common mineral often found in igneous and metamorphic rocks around the world.

It sometimes occurs around Diamonds and is often used for ‘trail to lode’ prospecting as a method to discover Diamond deposits.

It is also used as a gemstone in high quality grades – cut en cabochon or faceted for jewellery use. Grainy or granular pieces are often polished or tumbled.

Locales

Diopside is found all around the world, with excellent sources in Afghanistan, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, India, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania, and the USA.

Mineralogy

Chemistry
A Calcium Magnesium silicate mineral with the formula MgCaSi2O6.
Colours and Variations

Most commonly light and dark green, but in some cases, Diopside can be black, blue, brown, clear, grey, violet. There are two gem varieties of Diopside.

  • Chrome Diopside is a very popular rich green variation, found in Russia and often faceted for jewellery usage.
  • Black Star Diopside is a form of Diopside showing asterism, an optical effect causing a four pointed star.
Streak
White
Luster
Dull, vitreous
Fracture
Irregular, conchoidal
Crystal habit
Prismatic crystals, granular, columnar, massive
Mohs hardness
5.5 – 6.5
Specific Gravity
3.2 – 3.5
Easiest testing method
Common Treatments
Not typically treated.

Photos of Diopside

Diopside-jmix07-156a
Diopside-38517
Diopside-70748
Diopside-225169
Diopside-215065
Diopside-140495
Diopsid - facettiert und als Cabochon
Diopside faceted
Chromdisopsid-finnland hg

Hazards and Warnings

Almost all rocks, minerals (and, frankly, almost all other substances on earth) can produce toxic dust when cutting, which can cause serious respiratory conditions including silicosis.

When cutting or polishing rocks, minerals, shells, etc, all work should be done wet to minimise the dust, and a suitable respirator or extraction system should be used.

Translations

Arabic:

  • ديوبسيد

Hindi:

Portuguese:

  • diopsídio

Bengali:

Indonesian:

Punjabi:

English:

Italian:

Russian:

  • диопсид

French:

Japanese:

Spanish:

  • diópsido

German:

  • Diopsid

Korean:

  • 디옵 사이드

Thai:

Gujurati:

  • ડાયપોસાઇડ

Mandarin and Traditional Chinese:

  • 透辉石

Urdu:

Further Reading / External Links