Kyanite Photos  
Cochise College               
Photos of Minerals
Geology Home Page

Roger Weller, geology instructor

[email protected]    copyright 2010-R.Weller

 
kyanite crystals in schist-1
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.  Kyanite commonly occurs in a schist.  Parallel
to the length of the crystal kyanite has a hardness of 5; at right right angles to this
direction it is 7.
 

kyanite                                                                                                                                           5697
Photo is copyright free only for non-commercial educational uses.
Just credit photo to R.Weller/Cochise College.