Aegirine

Pyroxene

By Tim Matthews, JD, FGA, GG, DGA,
CEO and President of JTV
Published: June 2014
Modified: March 2022
Aegirine Rough

Aegirine is a member of the pyroxene group along with jadeite. It is typically dark green to dark brown in color and crystals comonly have distinct terminations. It is rarely seen as a faceted gemstone, probably because it appears to be almost black due to its high saturation. It has good hardness at 6, and moderate to strong dispersion, when its saturation does not obscure it.

General Information

Common Name
Aegirine
Species
Pyroxene
Transparency
Opaque-Translucent
Dispersion
Strength: Moderate Fire
Refractive Index
Over The Limit 1.720-1.839
Birefringence
0.037- 0.061
Optic Character
Biaxial
Optic Sign
Negative
Pleochroism
Trichroic, emerald green, grass green, greenish brown, yellow, yellow-brown, green, deep green
Hardness
6.0
Streak
pale yellow gray
Toughness
Fair
Luster
Vitreous, Subvitreous, Resinous
Fracture
irregular, uneven
Cleavage
distinct, good
Chemical Name
Sodium Iron Silicate
Chemical Formula
NaFe3+(Si2O6)
Crystal System
Monoclinic
Chemistry Classification
Silicate

Aegirine Colors

  • Green Aegirine
    Green
  • Black Aegirine
    Black
  • Brown Aegirine
    Brown

Countries of Origin

Angola; Kazakhstan; Paraguay; Portugal; Greece; Mongolia; Morocco; Unknown; Mali; Guatemala; Guyana; Chile; Nepal; Argentina; Ukraine; Zambia; India; Canada; Turkey; Namibia; Comoros; Finland; South Africa; Peru; Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of); Germany; Yemen; Tanzania, United Republic Of; Viet Nam; Guinea; Chad; Somalia; Madagascar; Thailand; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Libya; Sweden; Malawi; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Poland; Bulgaria; Jordan; Nigeria; Cook Islands; Kenya; Switzerland; Spain; Djibouti; Burkina Faso; Mauritania; Congo (the Democratic Republic of the); Israel; Australia; Tajikistan; Myanmar; Cameroon; Iceland; Oman; Armenia; Austria; Mozambique; Korea (the Republic of); Brazil; Algeria; Cabo Verde; Jersey; Iran (Islamic Republic of); Hungary; Japan; Belarus; Mauritius; Taiwan (Province of China); Bolivia (Plurinational State of); New Zealand; Micronesia (Federated States of); Honduras; Italy; Antarctica; Ethiopia; Afghanistan; Burundi; Russian Federation; Czechia; United States of America; Egypt; Saudi Arabia; Pakistan; China; Slovakia; France; Kyrgyzstan; Cote D'Ivoire; Romania; Niger; Nicaragua; Norway; Denmark; Mexico; Uganda; Zimbabwe; Greenland; Indonesia