Iolite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads Cat's It can be easily confused

It can be easily confused with other minerals due to its variety of colors and formations

but can be distinguished by its structure and its lower relative hardness

milky to pink silicon dioxide mineral

Turquoise is one of the oldest known stones in human history

or black and can be distributed randomly or in bundles or star to like formations

Iolite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads Cat's It can be easily confusedIolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called pleochroism, which means that it can appear to be different colors as it shifts in the light. According to Norse legend, Viking explorers used thin pieces of Iolite as the worlds first polarizing lens to help them determine the exact location of the sun for navigation.