Sugilite

Group: Silicates – cyclosilicates

Chemical composition: KNa2(Fe,Mn,Al)2Li3Si12O30

Colors: Pink to Purple

Hardness: 6-6.5

Formation: The crystals are rarely found and the form is usually massive.

Principal Sources: Japan, Canada, South Africa

Special Notes: Sugilite is named after Ken-ichi Sugi who first found it in 1944 in an aegirine syenite intrusive stock in Japan. The mineral is commonly pronounced with a soft “g”, as in “ginger”. However, as with most minerals, its pronunciation is intended to be the same as the person it is named after; in this case, the Japanese name Sugi has a hard “g”, as in “geese”