Monazite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Monazite may be partially metamict, with N=1.79. Stones can be an attractive yellow or brown color but are usually small.
Optics:a=1.774-1.800; β= 1.777-1.801; γ= 1.828-1849.
Biaxial (+), 2V= 11-15°.
Higher refractive index is accompanied by lower birefringence.
Occurrence: An accessory mineral in igneous rocks and gneisses; sometimes in large crystals in granite pegmatites; as a detrital mineral in sands.
Petaca district, New Mexico; Amelia, Virginia.
Norway; Finland.
Colorado: fine crystals.
Wyoming: crystals to several pounds.
Madagascar: in fine crystals.
Switzerland: excellent crystals in alpine vein deposits.
Sri Lanka: orange pebbles.
Callipampa,Bolivia: good crystals.
Deposits of alluvial material in Australia, India, Brazil, Malaysia, Nigeria.
Comments: Monazite may be partially metamict, with N=1.79. Stones can be an attractive yellow or brown color but are usually small.
Name: From the Greek monazein,to be solitary, because of the rarity of the mineral.
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