Clinochlore Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

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Grossular (Var.: Hessonite), Clinochlore. Locality: Bellecombe, Châtillon, Aosta Valley, Italy (Locality at mindat.org). Size: 7.4 x 3.8 x 2.6 cm. Beautifully gemmy and lustrous, cherry-red hessonite (grossular) garnets with complimentary, tabular, green clinochlore crystals form an outstanding and impressive specimen from a famous Italian locality - Bellecombe in the Aosta Valley. Super rich material from this classic locale. by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Clinochlore Information

Data	Value
Name	Clinochlore
Varieties	Kämmererite, Seraphinite
Stone Sizes	faceted Kämmerite to 2 carats, Sheridanite cabs to large
Heat Sensitivity	yes
Formula	(Mg,Fe++)5Al(Si3Al)O10(OH)8
Colors	Sheridanite: Blackish green, Bluish green, Olive green; Kämmerite: Red, Purple
Fracture	Uneven
Hardness	2 - 2.5
Cleavage	Perfect 1 direction
Wearability	Poor
Crystallography	Monoclinic, pseudo hexagonal
Refractive Index	1.571-1.600
Birefringence	Sheridanite 0.005–0 .011, Kämmerite 0.003
Luminescence	None.
Luminescence Present	No
UV Long	none
UV Short	none
Absorption Spectrum	Not diagnostic.
Pleochroism	Sheridanite: Strong, pale green, colorless, pale yellowish green, pale brownish yellow; Kämmerite: Strong, violet, red
Optics	Biaxial (+/-)
Optic Sign	Biaxial +, Biaxial -
Luster	Pearly, greasy, dull.
Polish Luster	Vitreous.
Fracture Luster	Vitreous, pearly.
Specific Gravity	2.55-2.75
Enhancements	none
Transparency	Transparent to translucent.

Clinochlore is a family of minerals in the chlorite group. Varieties include Colerainite, Kämmerite, Pennine, Penninite, Prochlorite, Ripidolite, and Sheridanite. To date, only Kämmerite and Sheridanite are known to have been cut as gemstones.

Names

Clinochlore from the Greek klino – “oblique” and chloros – ” green.”
Ripidolite from the Greek rhipis – “fan” and lithos – “stone.”
Pennine from the Pennine Alps, Italy

Variety Names

Clinochlore – green
Colerainite
Kammererite – Red to purple
Pennine
Penninite
Prochlorite
Ripidolite
Sheridanite Dark green, rich in chromium

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