Hypersthene is a dark pyroxene with a metallic sheen, close kin to bronzite. Mineralogists have dropped the name, and stones sold as hypersthene are usually iron-bearing enstatite.
Silicate (pyroxene group, orthopyroxene)
Hypersthene
Hiperstena
- Palette
- Black Brown Gray
- Mined in
- Canada
- Hardness
- Mohs 5.5–6.0 ?
- See-through
- opaque
- Known since
- 1988
- Named for
- Greek for 'over strength', as it is harder than hornblende
- Also sold as
- ferroan enstatite, orthopyroxene
- Intention
- Calm Abundance
- Looking for
- Focus and clarity Goals and motivation
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Hypersthene beads are usually sold natural and not dyed.
Not in our pieces now
BREITENBACH
Enstatite crystals, the close relative of hypersthene, were found in a meteorite that fell at Breitenbach in the Ore Mountains of Bohemia.
KENNGOTT, 1855
Mineralogist G. A. Kenngott described enstatite in 1855, after bronzite and hypersthene were already known.
COPPER-RED SHEEN
On certain surfaces hypersthene shows a copper-red metallic sheen, stronger than the bronzy sheen of bronzite.
What it is
Hypersthene is a dark gray, brown or greenish-black orthopyroxene whose polished surface can show a metallic, coppery to silvery sheen. The name is no longer an official mineral species: stones sold as hypersthene are usually iron-bearing enstatite, a close relative of bronzite.
Where it comes from
Hypersthene occurs in igneous rocks, and the classic locality is Paul's Island off the coast of Labrador.
In history
The most typical hypersthene came from the coarse-grained rock of Paul's Island off Labrador, which is why it was once called Labrador hornblende or paulite. The name itself, Greek for 'over strength', recalls that it is harder than the hornblende it was often confused with. Mineralogists now regard it as iron-bearing enstatite, and it is cut and polished as a semiprecious gemstone.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, hypersthene is the desk stone. People keep it for sorting out a busy day, and it's said to help gather scattered thoughts into a plan.
An old custom of matching a gem to each given name listed hypersthene for the name Humphrey.
Some hold it while they list what needs doing, then set it nearby and get started.
How people wear or keep it: In your hands, on a desk, or on the wrist.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, hypersthene is paired with the solar plexus and third eye and crown chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: in your hands, on a desk, on the wrist. People reach for it when they want focus and clarity, goals and motivation, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraSolar Plexus, Third Eye, Crown
ZodiacLibra
ElementFire
Also calledferroan enstatite, orthopyroxene
Care
- Moderately hard, so it can scratch and chip; avoid knocks and store apart from harder stones.
- Wipe with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry; keep it dry otherwise.
- Keep away from harsh cleaners and ultrasonic machines, which can dull the sheen.
How to tell what you have
- Hypersthene is a dark brown to black pyroxene with a silky metallic sheen, about 5.5 on the Mohs scale. It is sometimes mis-sold as 'velvet labradorite' but it is not a feldspar.
- Bronzite is a similar name and the two overlap; glass or dyed black stone would lack the metallic sheen.
Questions people ask at our table
What is hypersthene?
It is an old name for a dark, iron-bearing pyroxene. Mineralogists no longer regard it as its own species, and material sold under the name is usually ferroan enstatite.
Is hypersthene the same as bronzite?
They are close relatives, both orthopyroxenes with a metallic sheen. Hypersthene tends to be darker with a stronger flash. We do carry bronzite.
Where does hypersthene come from?
Paul's Island in Labrador, Canada, is the best-known source. The mineral also forms in dark igneous rocks and turns up in meteorites.
How do I care for it?
At 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale it is only moderately hard. Wipe it with a soft cloth, keep it dry and avoid knocks.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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