Scapolite - The Rare Yellow Gem

 SCAPOLITE - An African Gem

An African gem that comes in yellow and purple shades. It is rarely seen in commercial jewelry stores in either of the two common colors. It is a little on the soft side, with the hardness between five and six, it is therefore not suitable as a ring stone.  It does sometimes occur in very large sizes, suitable for cutting gems over three carats in size.  While very unique, it's optical properties are very average, and as result, this is not a particularly expensive stone. Almost all the rough on the market is mined in Tanzania, Africa.

Some deeper purple materials are produced by a radiation of the yellow gem rough.  This a radiated material is sometimes seen on the market as well.  It would be considered to be a collector stone.