Moonstone
The feldspar groups of minerals are important for the place they take in the formation of rocks, but several varieties of the various groups supply gem materials, the most important of which is the enchanting Moonstone.
Moonstone is characterised by the beautiful blue schiller, especially apparent in Rainbow Moonstone. This lovely sheen, termed adularescence, is due to a combination of orthoclase and albite arranged in layers. Light reflected from these layers, if they are not too thick, produces the blue schiller.
The most important source of Moonstone is Sri Lanka. The Southern and Central Province produces the mineral with either a white or blue 'flash,' and water-worn pebbles are found in the gem gravels in the southern part of the island. Other localities are Madagascar, Myanmar, Tanzania and a number of locations in North America.
- Moonstone is the birthstone for June
View Moonstone Jewellery at Astley Clarke
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