In crystal lore, blue kyanite is the stone for saying what you mean. It is traditionally linked with truth-telling, fairness and loyalty.
Silicate (aluminosilicate)
Kyanite
Cianita
- Palette
- Blue Gray White Green
- Mined in
- Brazil, Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania, Switzerland, United States
- Hardness
- Mohs 4.5–7.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- 1789
- Named for
- Greek kyanos, meaning dark blue
- Also sold as
- cyanite, disthene, blue kyanite
- Intention
- Strength
- Looking for
- Communication Confidence and self-worth Courage
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Kyanite is rarely changed because it is sensitive to heat. Most beads are natural, though some are dyed, so look for it in the listing.
Not in our pieces now
300 MILLION YEARS
Kyanite in the Manhattan schist under New York City was squeezed into shape more than 300 million years ago, as the supercontinent Pangaea formed.
4.5 TO 7
Kyanite measures 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale along the length of the crystal but 6.5 to 7 across it, so one stone has two hardnesses.
1,100 °C
Above 1100 °C kyanite breaks down into mullite and glassy silica, which is why it goes into furnace linings and electrical insulators.
What it is
Blue, bladed crystals, often streaked or patchy, with pale gray or white bands. Beads and cabochons have a pearly, slightly silky look and can be see-through or opaque. Its hardness is different in different directions, so it scratches easily along the length of a blade and much less across it.
Where it comes from
Kyanite is found in Brazil (Minas Gerais), Nepal, Kenya's Umba Valley, Tanzania, Switzerland and Russia, with more in the United States.
In history
Kyanite was long known by the name disthene, meaning 'two strengths', because it is hard in one direction and softer in another. Because it keeps its strength at very high temperatures, it has been made into porcelain spark plug insulators and brake linings, and it has also been cut as a gemstone.
What's said about it
People wear it at the throat, as a necklace or earrings, or keep it where good conversation matters, like a classroom or a meeting room.
The name comes from a Greek word for dark blue. An older name, disthene, means two strengths, because the blades are softer along their length than across.
That split in hardness makes it delicate. Keep it dry, protect it from knocks, and store it away from harder stones.
How people wear or keep it: On a necklace or earrings, in a shirt pocket, in a classroom or meeting room, or on a work or study desk.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, kyanite is paired with the throat and third eye 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: on a necklace or earrings, in a shirt pocket, in a classroom or meeting room. People reach for it when they want communication, confidence and self-worth, courage, 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.
ChakraThroat, Third Eye
ElementWater
Also calledcyanite, disthene, blue kyanite
Care
- Hardness changes with direction, about 4.5 to 5 along the blade and 6.5 to 7 across it, so handle it as a soft stone.
- It has perfect cleavage, so a hard knock can split it. Choose protected settings or gentle wear.
- Wipe with a soft dry or barely damp cloth; skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners.
- Keep away from sudden temperature changes and prolonged water or salt.
- Store apart from harder stones.
How to tell what you have
- Kyanite is blue, bladed and streaky. It is soft along the blade (about 4.5 to 5) and hard across (6.5 to 7), so a needle scratches it one way only.
- Dyed blue stone usually shows color pooled at the drill hole and lacks the pale streaks.
What sets the price
Price follows how deep the blue is, how much pearly flash shows, how clean and unflawed the beads are, and bead size and cut; kyanite splits easily, so faceted strands take a skilled cutter.
Questions people ask at our table
What is kyanite?
Kyanite is an aluminum silicate mineral that forms long blue blades. Its name comes from the Greek word for dark blue.
Why does it have two hardnesses?
The crystal is a lot softer along its length (about Mohs 4.5 to 5) than across it (about 6.5 to 7). That is why one source gives a range rather than one number.
Is it natural or dyed?
Blue kyanite gets its natural color from trace iron and titanium. Ask the seller whether a particular strand has been dyed or is a look-alike.
Can I get it wet?
A crystal reference book advises keeping it away from water and salt, and the stone is soft and splits easily. A dry soft cloth is the safer way to clean it.
Where is it from?
Kyanite comes from many places: Brazil, Nepal, Kenya, Tanzania, Switzerland and several states in the US. Most of the world's supply goes into heat-resistant ceramics, not jewelry.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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