More than you ever wanted to know about Diaspore

This edition of my ongoing series of blog posts about gem and mineral fact, fiction and lore, features diaspore, a color change gem stone.

Diaspore is an aluminum hydroxide mineral with an orthorhombic crystal system. Its color ranges from pink through to purple, brown, green, yellow, gray, white and colorless. Some diaspore is pleiochroic; meaning that it changes color under different types of light. Diaspore from Turkey is currently being sold under the trade name 'Zultanite'.


At a hardness of 6 1/2 - 7 diaspore is well suited for use in jewelry. However, recovery after faceting diaspore is very low because of the need to orient the stone to take best advantage of the color change property. Stones over 3 carats are exceptionally rare and fetch high prices.

"Zultanite is so rare, that few have had the pleasure to behold its exotic beauty. There is only one mine producing genuine Zultanite. Zultanite is only mined by us at a remote location in the Anatolian mountains of Turkey directly from the host rock at an altitude exceeding 1000 meters." 1

The principal aluminum ore, bauxite, is composed of a mixture of diaspore, gibbsite and boehmite.

Lore

"Diaspore crystals can sometimes appear to be different colors when viewed from different angles. This is a physical representation of one of the other aspects of its energy of adaptability. Diaspore stimulates area of the mind which enhance one's ability to see different points of view on all issues and ideas. Because of this, it is an excellent tool for engineers, mediators, scientific researchers, therapists, doctors and others who need to bring a fresh, multidimensional frame of mind to each new situation. In meditation, Diaspore helps one find and maintain the state of 'beginners mind' - the attitude of openness and acceptance, unclouded by beliefs that one already knows what to expect." 2

"Some people believe Zultanite can assist in the development of psychic power, astral force, ambition, intellect, desire and emotions based on intellect and touch." 3


1) Web site: Zultanite - Naturally Precious

2) Naisha Ahsian "The Book of Stones- Who They Are & What They Teach" pg. 137

3) Web site: GemsTV