Just Witchy's Blog

   Not to be confused with the mysterious sunstone of Viking legend—now believed by many scientists to have been calcite crystals used for navigation—Sunstone is a beautiful feldspar mineral known for its shimmering, sparkling appearance created by copper or hematite inclusions (a phenomenon called aventurescence).    Although it isn’t considered a navigation tool, that doesn’t diminish the beauty or energetic qualities attributed to this crystal gemstone, which has many traits that make it special.    A member of the triclinic crystal system—where all three unit cell axes differ in length and meet at non-right angles, forming the least symmetrical crystal structure—Sunstone can...

    Most dentists will recommend fluorite to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. It does this by reversing early tooth decay and remineralizing tooth enamel. Fluorite can be found in toothpaste, mouthwash, and is often applied directly to the teeth during a dental exam. It's a powerful mineral used to promote health and well being. Disembodied voice: What is this, a dental ad? 🦷    No, not at all. I was just introducing this month's featured shinyite--Fluorite! Disembodied voice: Very pretty, but I think you're confusing fluorite with fluoride. Fluoride is a compound derived from the element fluorine. Fluorite is...

   What do underwater blast sensors, piezoelectric pressure transducers, high frequency circuits, and and water purification systems have to do with today's blog? Well, they contain a really cool gemstone I get a charge out of... TOURMALINE!    This gemstone literally generates an electrical charge when placed under mechanical stress and is used in pressure gauges to detect shockwaves, explosions and underwater blasts! Its unique optical properties have been historically used in polarizing apparatuses and it also has the ability to help adjust the pH and improve water quality. Pretty neat, but also really pretty attractive!    Tourmaline is available...

So what is Sodalite? If you guessed a diet soft drink, you would be wrong!    Sodalite is a blue tectosilicate material. With a Mohs hardness of 5.5-6 it's definitely not considered diet, but it is thought to be very pretty!    This royal blue mineral with white calcite streaks forms in alkaline igneous rocks that can be found in the United States, Canada, Nambia, Brazil, Greenland, Russia and Afghanistan--to name a few places.    Although Sodalite is a very pretty stone (Did I mention it was pretty?), this shiny-ite has some solid metaphysical properties.    Often called the Thinker's Stone,...

Known for its bladed crystals and royal blue color, Kyanite is a naturally occurring aluminum silicate material mined on the planet Kyanite, home planet of Superman...      (Disembodied voice): Ahhh, no. No?    (Disembodied voice): Superman is from the planet Krypton--Not Kyanite. Oh. So where is Kyanite from?   (Disembodied voice): Earth, where it is commonly found in metamorphic rocks like schists and gneisses, particularly in areas that have undergone high pressure and medium to high temperatures, like the Appalachian Mountains or the Alps. Named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1798, this gemstone derives its name from the Greek work Kyanos, meaning...