The Specimen Library / Under the Loupe
Kyanite · Science
Aluminum silicate / mineral species
A closer look beyond the specimen label.
← Return to Kyanite
The material, examined
What the name tells you
A single hardness number would erase one of this mineral’s most useful characteristics. Direction matters, and the range is not permission to scratch a valuable object casually.
A useful question at the counter
What direction was tested, on what surface, and could another mineral or a coating affect the result?
A note for your collection
Cushion delicate blades. Do not scrub or force apart a cluster to test it.
Sources & further reading
References are labeled by role. A source documenting a belief is not evidence of a medical or mineralogical effect. Reflection prompts are C&C editorial suggestions.
- Handbook of Mineralogy: Kyanite
- C&C original crystal-practice index, 2017 archive: contemporary C&C teaching and symbolic associations.
Adjacent drawers
Related Specimens
The cabinet