Properties
Mineral group: Silicate (Pyroxene group)
Chemistry: CaMGSi2O6
Color: Green, Light green, Yellowgreen, violet blue, slight coloured white, black, black with star
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Mohs Scale hardness: 5-6
Refractive index: 1,664-1,730
Birefringence: 0,024-0,030
Specific gravity: 3,22-3,40
Information
Possibilities for Confusion
The appreciated green chrome diopside kan be confused with emerald, tsavorite and chrome tourmaline. Black can be confused with onyx, spinell, corundum and other mineral with black varities.
Treatments
Diopside and its varities is normaly not treated in any way, no syntetic varities is known. Possible simultants could be quarts or glas.
Instruments for ID
Chrome Diopside have lower hardness than similar gemstones such as emerald, tsavorite and chrome tourmaline. An importent data.
The "black star" have a very specific appearance with 4-ray star seen in torch light.
Refractive measurment is importent to distinguish from emerald, tsavorite and chrome tourmaline.
Polariscope can be used to distingush its monoclinic crystal from the cubic crystal in tsavorite.
Deposits
Chrome Diopside mainly comes from Sibiria Russia. The violet blue varity comes from Italy and also Myanmar (Burma) have deposits of Diopside. Here on Riddgem we have Yellowgreen varity from Sri Lanka. The Popular black star diopside mainly comes from India.
Miscellaneous
The very sharp Chrome Green varity Chrome Diopside is very popular and sought for with its very stunning green colour. Price worth when compare to far more expensive emerald and tsavorite. Often very sporadic apperance in gemsmarkets because of very short season in Sibiria. The "Black Star" is also very popular in different aspects. A rare and beutiful yellowgreen varity we have here in Riddgem is maybe manly a collectors stone.
Read/learn more about Diopside
Diopside in Healing (source: ChatGPT)
Diopside is a beautiful crystal that is often associated with the earth element and the heart chakra, making it popular in crystal healing.
Read/learn more about Diopside – Healing Properties
