Staurolite has escaped mineralogical obscurity because of a single trait: Its tendency to form twinned, prismatic crystals that sometimes intersect in the universally recognized configuration of the Christian cross. For this reason alone, staurolite is a favorite at rock shops and gem and mineral shows. It is widely collected, steeped in legend and lore, worn as a goodluck charm, honored as an official state mineral and celebrated as the namesake of a state park.
THE MINERAL
Staurolite, a basic iron aluminum oxysilicate, crystallizes in the monoclinic system. With its Mohs hardness of 7.0 to 7.5 and relatively high specific gravity of 3.7 to 3.8, it is somewhat harder and denser than quartz. Staurolite’s colors range from yellowish-brown an d reddish-brown to brownish-black.
Staurolite has a metamorphic origin and forms from the high-grade alteration of shale. It is primarily hosted by schist, a medium-to-coarse-grained, silvery-gray, foliated, metamorphic rock. Staurolite is closely associated with kyanite, sillimanite, and andalusite, the three polymorphic forms of aluminum silicate.
VIRGINIA & GEORGIA
In the United States, staurolite occurrences are concentrated in the highly metamorphosed rock of the Appalachian Mountains that stretch from Georgia to Maine. Georgia’s most productive collecting sites are found in the northern counties of Cherokee, Fannin, Pickens and Gilmer at such sites as Sharp Top Mountain and Turkey Hill. Recognizing its great popularity among collectors, the Georgia Legislature designated staurolite as the state’s official mineral in 1976.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Cleaning & Cracking Géodes, Great and Small
Geodes. From their Latin and Greek origins meaning ‘earth-like,’ the cracking and cleaning of these popular stone eggs is no yolk: those unassuming exteriors can belie wonderful clusters of crystals or banded layers of agate within!
GOLD: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
Has Gold Production Finally Peaked?
The Minerals That Made America
Iron, Copper, Lead & Zinc Transformed the United States Into a Major Industrial Power
THE ORDOVICIAN OCEAN OF ST. LEON, INDIANA
Imagine walking through an area filled with millions of fossils just lying there ready for you to pick up and put in your bucket.
A Ring around the World?
\"Ring around the Rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!\" So goes the children's nursery rhyme.
IKONS OF THE MINERAL WORLD
Enjoy the following pages from Ikons of the Mineral World Nature's Finest Art by Wayne A. Thompson, Walter E. Donovan, Robert M. Lavinsky, Wendell E. Wilson and Sandor P. Fuss.
Fascinating Fluorite A Beginner & Collector's Favorite
Should you be found, be it working on your collection or walking around a mineral show, humming the song \"My Favorite Things\" with the mineral name 'Fluorite' worked into the lyrics, many of us collectors would totally understand, and probably join in. If that's not the case, let's see if we can make that happen.
ROMANCING THE RUBY
Few words are as packed with meaning as “ruby.” While the word refers primarily to the legendary red gemstone, it is also the preferred adjective for red colors of extraordinary intensity and purity. Its association with wealth and royalty conjures romantic images of kingdoms that once flourished in such historical ruby sources as Ceylon, Siam, Burma and India.
ROYAL SAHARA JASPER
Royal Sahara Jasper was originally discovered in the early 2000s in Northern Africa in the Sahara Desert. During an excursion to Africa, George and Janet Sechler found a piece of rock on the ground that showed similarities to picture jaspers like Biggs or Deschutes.
CLOUDY DAZE
Cloudy Daze is the Novice Design that was selected for the United States Faceting Guild 2025 gemstone faceting competition.
