Crocidolite is an asbestos mineral that can be used as a gem. It has a Mohs hardness of five and a specific gravity of 3.02–3.42 g/cm3. It transforms into petrified wood when subject to SiO2 metasomatism, and its hardness will increase to 7, but the specific gravity will decrease to 2.64–2.71. Crocidolite can be brownish yellow, reddish brown, grey blue or maroon, has a fine and tough texture, a fibrous structure and silky lustre. A beautiful cat’s eye effect can be achieved through parallel cutting. Therefore, it is a popular raw material for making blue asbestos cat’s eye gems (Fig. 55).
Crocidolite
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(2020). Crocidolite. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_420
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