Bloody Iolite 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch Inc. Usually occurring in a deep

Usually occurring in a deep red color

It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale

the mineral was named for French paleontologist Eugene Durmortier (1803-1873)

Mined in: Madagascar

cream colors and whites

Bloody Iolite 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch Inc. Usually occurring in a deepIolite 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.