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Astrophyllite

Astrophyllite

By Tim Matthews, JD, FGA, GG, DGA,
CEO and President of JTV (retired)
Published: June 2014
Modified: October 2021
Astrophyllite Polished Astrophyllite Rough Astrophyllite Jewelry
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Table of Contents
  • General Information
  • Astrophyllite Colors
  • Countries of Origin
  • Care

Astrophyllite is golden-yellow to dark brown and usually forms as bladed crystals radiating from a common center. It gets its name from the Greek astron, meaning "star," and phyllon, meaning "leaf." It may also be translated as "star sheets" because of the interwoven star shapes that crystals sometimes form, and because of its strange luster, which can be metallic or pearly. Although there are occurrences of astrophyllite around the world, some of the finest crystals come from remote mountainous regions in arctic northern Russia.

General Information

  • Classification
  • Optical Properties
  • Characteristic Physical Properties
  • Chemistry & Crystallography
Common Name
Astrophyllite
Species
Astrophyllite
Transparency
Translucent - Opaque
Dispersion
Strength: Strong Fire
Refractive Index
1.678-1.758
Optic Character
Biaxial
Optic Sign
Positive
Polariscope Reaction
Aggregate (AGG), Doubly Refractive (DR)
Pleochroism
Trichroic, orangy red, orangy yellow, yellow
Hardness
3
Streak
Golden
Specific Gravity
3.200-3.400
Toughness
Poor
Inclusions
The stone is composed of star or leaf like sheets some of which can have a metallic or pearly luster.
Luster
Greasy, Pearly
Fracture
Uneven
Cleavage
Perfect, in one direction, Poor, in one direction
Chemical Name
potassium sodium iron manganese titanium silicate hydroxide
Chemical Formula
(K,Na)3(Fe2+,Mn)7Ti2Si8O24(O,OH)7
Crystal System
Triclinic
Chemistry Classification
Silicate

Astrophyllite Colors

  • Brown Astrophyllite
    Brown
  • Green Astrophyllite
    Green
  • Yellow Astrophyllite
    Yellow

Countries of Origin

Russian Federation; Guinea; United States of America; Egypt; Madagascar; Kazakhstan; Portugal; Mongolia; Pakistan; Morocco; Unknown; Malawi; Mali; China; Brazil; Slovakia; Chile; France; Nigeria; Kyrgyzstan; Romania; Ukraine; Spain; New Zealand; Canada; Mauritania; Norway; Namibia; Finland; Denmark; South Africa; Greenland; Tajikistan; Yemen

Care

Astrophyllite is brittle so please take care when handling.

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