Iolite 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads Epidotized Granite They are rough specimens but

They are rough specimens but polished on one side to show off all it's amazing colors

milky to pink silicon dioxide mineral

It is an aluminum borosilicate mixed with iron

but will not be chemically treated or altered

It was first found in the Unaka Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina

Iolite 6mm Round Faceted - Large Hole Beads Epidotized Granite They are rough specimens butIolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called pleochroism, which means that it can appear to be different colors as it shifts in the light. According to Norse legend, Viking explorers used thin pieces of Iolite as the worlds first polarizing lens to help them determine the exact location of the sun for navigation.