Clinozoizite: Gemstones Information

Clinozoisite is a monoclinic epidote group mineral Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7) OOH and usually occurs in pale shades of green, pink or yellow and is sometimes colourless. It occurs in typically elongated transparent prismatic crystals with one direction of perfect cleavage. The SG is in the range 3.21–3.38 and the RI for the alpha, beta and gamma rays is 1.670–1.715, 1.675–1.725 and 1.690–1.734, biaxial positive. The birefringence is 0.005–0.015. The absorption spectrum is similar to that of epidote. Clinozoisite comes from Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Baja California, Mexico. A grey–green clinozoisite is found in Kenya.