Scapolite

Scapolite is one of the lesser-known gemstones and is not widely available. You're unlikely to find it in your local jewelry store. Nonetheless, it's a desirable and attractive gem for both jewelers and collectors, with good brilliance and a vitreous luster.

Gemstone-quality scapolite usually exhibits excellent transparency. Some of the less transparent material exhibits chatoyancy (the cat's eye effect) when cut as cabochons. Cat's eye stones are rather rare and desirable as they tend to have exceptionally sharp eyes.

It comes in an interesting variety of colors, including white, colorless, greenish, gray, yellow, brown, reddish and pink. There is also a lavender variety of scapolite that is produced by heat treatment. The other colors are typically untreated. The most common color for scapolite gemstones is bright honey-yellow.

Scapolite is found in a number of locations around the world, including Canada, the USA, Norway, Italy and Mexico. Gemstone sources are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Canada and Burma