By Modris Baum (http://www.mindat.org/photo-199422.html) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Pink gems are extremely attractive when cut, especially as round brilliants. The hardness makes wear unrecommended; cutting presents no great problems. This is a very rare gemstone, seen only in a few collections.
Eosphorite Value
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Eosphorite Information
| Data | Value |
| Name | Eosphorite |
| Crystallography | Monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic). Crystals prismatic, often twinned. |
| Colors | Colorless. pale pink, pale yellow, light brown, reddish brown, black. |
| Luster | Vitreous to resinous. |
| Hardness | 5 |
| Density | 3.05 (pure Mn end member); 3.08 (Brazil) |
| Birefringence | 0.029-0.035. (Note: less than Childrenite) |
| Cleavage | Poor; fracture uneven to subconchoidal |
| Stone Sizes | Cut eosphorites are always small, usually less than 3-4 carats. Cuttable crystals are usually very small and badly flawed, only from the Brazil localities. |
| Luminescence | None observed. |
| Spectral | Strong line at 4100, moderate at 4900 (in brownish-pink material). |
| Formula | (Mn,Fe)AIPO4(OH)2· H20. |
| Pleochroism | Distinct: yellow/pink/pale pink to colorless. |
Series to Childrenite if Fe exceeds Mn.
Optics: a = 1.638-1.639; β= 1.660-1.664; γ = 1.667-1.671.
Biaxial (-), 2V= 50°.
Occurrence: In granite pegmatites, usually associated with Mn phosphates.
Branchville, Connecticut; Maine: Keystone, South Dakota; North Groton, New Hampshire. Hagendorf, Germany
Minas Gerais, Brazil: excellent, flat, pink crystals up to 4 x I cm, at Itinga.
Comments: Pink gems are extremely attractive when cut, especially as round brilliants. The hardness makes wear unrecommended; cutting presents no great problems. This is a very rare gemstone, seen only in a few collections.
Name: From Greek eosphoros, meaning dawn-bearing, in allusion to the pink color.
