Characteristics of Petalite:

Chemical Name: Lithium aluminum silicate

Formula: LiAlSi4O10

Colors: Colorless to greyish-white, pink, green

Structure: Monoclinic

Hardness: 6-6.5

Specific Gravity: 2.4

Refractive Index: 1.50-1.52

Lustre: Vitreous

Streak: White

Locations: Brazil, Italy, Russia, Australia, Zimbabwe, Canada

What is Petalite? 

Petalite’ s name comes from the Greek word for “leaf”, a reference to its tendency to break into thin, leaf-like layers. It is usually found as masses of small crystals and rarely, as individual crystals. In its massive form it is cut en cabochon, and its colorless, transparent crystals are faceted for collectors only. Because it is brittle and easily split, it requires extreme care int eh faceting process, and it is too fragile to wear. Facet-grade Petalite is found principally in Brazil, which produces collectors’ gemstones of up to 50% in weight.