Sinhalite

Short description: Borate mineral

Sinhalite

General
Category| Mineral
Crystal system| Orthorhombic
Identification
Color| White, gray, grayish-blue, pale to dark brown, yellow, yellowish-brown, greenish-brown, green, brownish-pink, pale pink
Crystal habit| Grains, rolled pebbles, irregular masses. Rarely euhedral crystals.
Cleavage| None
Fracture| Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness| ​6 1⁄2-7
Streak| White
Diaphaneity| Transparent, translucent
Specific gravity| 3.46 to 3.50
Density| 3.475-3.5
Optical properties| Biaxial (-)
Refractive index| 1.665 to 1.712
Birefringence| 0.036 to 0.042
Pleochroism| Trichroism: green, light brown, dark brown
2V angle| 56°
Dispersion| 0.018
Ultraviolet fluorescence| None

Sinhalite is a borate mineral with formula MgAl(BO4).[2]

Sinhalite was first found in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1952, and was named from Sinhala - the Sanskrit name for Sri Lanka.[3]

Gemstone quality Sinhalite can also be found in Madagascar, Tanzania and Myanmar (Burma). The most commonly seen color of Sinhalite are white to gray, grayish-blue or a shade of brown ranging from pale to dark. Pale pink and brownish pink crystals can be found in Tanzania.

## References

1. ↑ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine 85 (3): 291–320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. Bibcode: 2021MinM...85..291W.
2. ↑ "Sinhalite". Mindat.org. https://www.mindat.org/min-3672.html.
3. ↑ "Sinhalite gemstone information". https://www.gemdat.org/gem-3672.html. Retrieved 21 March 2019.

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