Group: Silicates – nesosilicates
Chemical composition: (Fe,Mg)4Al17(Si,Al)8O45(OH)3
Colors: Brown
Hardness: 7 to 7.5
Formation: Monoclinic crystal; pseudo-orthorhombic prismatic form
Principal Sources: Georgia; Mexico; France; Brazil
Special Notes: Named from the Greek stauros “cross” for its characteristic crosslike twinned form. The staurolite is also known as a “Fairy Stone” due to a Virginian legend about the origin of the stone’s curious shape. The Fairy Stone State Park in Patrick County, Virginia, is named for this stone, which can be found there. It is the official state mineral of the U.S. state of Georgia.