Rhodusite

Rhodusite is a very rare gem that is not well know in the gem market. It also known as Magnesioriebeckite. Rhodusite usually found as fibrous «asbestiform» masses but a few sources produce solid, opaque, prismatic crystals of light to dark blue that used to create attractive cabochons.

Magnesioriebeckite named for its composition containing magnesium and its relationship to Riebeckite. Riebeckite named for famous eighteenth century German explorer and mineralogist, Emil Riebeck (1853-1885).

Magnesioriebeckite may have originally discovered by C. Palache in 1928 at the mines at Franklin, New Jersey, USA, but incorrectly identified as Crocidolite. The year of discovery noted as 1949 from the type locality of Alto Chapare District, Chapare Province, Bolivia.