Spodumene

Is a pyroxene mineral with a composition of lithium aluminium inosilicate.
Is a source of lithium.
Apears colorless to yellowish, purplish, liac junzite, yellowish-green, emerald-green hiddenite, prismatic crystals and often of great size.
Has a low temperature form in the monoclinic system and high temperature B-spodumene crystallizes in tetragonal system.
The normal alpha-spodumene converts to beta-spodumene at a temperature above 900 C.
Typical heavy and striated parallel crystals.
Its uses are for lithium ore source but the highly prized is as gem material, especially Kunzite (pink) and Hiddenite (green) variety.
Spodumene easily alters to other minerals like feldspars and micas and into clay.
Sometimes can be just partially altered creating fascinating and intriguing specimens.
Spodumene is from the greek spodoumenos, "burnt to ash" because of its ashy color of early specimens.

Properties:
Formula: LiAl(SiO3)2
Lithium 3,73%; Aluminum 14,50%, Silicon 30,18%; Oxygen 51,59%
8,03% Li2O; 27,40% Al2O3; 64,58% SiO2
Crystal system: monoclinic formed at low temp and tetragonal formed ad high temp.
Color variable: white, colorless, gray, pink, lilac, violet, yellow, green, bicolored, emerald green
Fracture: uneven tu subconchoidal
Tenacity: Brittle
Hardness: 6,5-7
Density: 3,1-3,2
Luster vitreous, pearly on cleavage
Streak white
Cleavage: perfect
Specific gravity: 3,03-3,23
Optical properties: biaxial (+)
Transparent to translucent
Pleochroism string in junzite: alpha purple, y colorless; hiddenite: alpha green, y colorles
Insoluble
Special characteristics: tenebrescence, chatoyancy
Kunzite is often fluorescent under UV

Common impurities: Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, H2O

Common associates: Quartz, Muscovite, Elbaite, Albite, Lepidolite, Cleavelandite, Kunzite, Spessartine, Aquamarine, Eucryptite, tourmaline, topaz

Distinguishing similar minerals:
Feldspars - a little softer (6), different cleavage and fracture
Amblygonite - softer

Varieties:
Junzite - purple, can present pleochroism
Hiddenite - green chromium rich transparent variety
Kunzite - a pink to violet transparent gem frequently irradiated to enhance the color
Cymatolite - Pseudomorph of spodumene by Muscovite and/or Albite
Triphane - colorless to yellow transparent, synonym of spodumene

Sources: https://www.mindat.org/min-3733.html
https://www.minerals.net/mineral/spodumene.aspx

Other names: spodumen spodumene spodumenul