Iolite 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch memorial-ten manganese and other metallic oxides

manganese and other metallic oxides captured during the forming of the rock

It is extremely tough and resistant to fracture and has been used to make choppers and blades since Neolithic times

where the stones are thought to have been originally found

Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China

Iolite 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch memorial-ten manganese and other metallic oxidesIolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called pleochroism, which means that it can appear to be different colors as it shifts in the light. According to Norse legend, Viking explorers used thin pieces of Iolite as the worlds first polarizing lens to help them determine the exact location of the sun for navigation.