Kyanite Photos  
Cochise College               
Photos of Minerals
Geology Home Page

Roger Weller, geology instructor

[email protected]    copyright 2010-R.Weller

single crystal of kyanite
Kyanite is aluminum silicate. It is a metamorphic mineral that forms blue blade-like
crystals.  Often the crystals are darker color near the center and a lighter color
towards the outer edges of the blades.  Kyanite is unique in that it has two different
hardness depending upon direction.  Parallel to the length of the crystal kyanite has
a hardness of 5; at right right angles to this direction it is 7.
 

kyanite                                                                                                                                                2
Photo is copyright free only for non-commercial educational uses.
Just credit photo to R.Weller/Cochise College.