Afghanite gets its name from its place of discovery — Afghanistan! This semi-precious gemstone is best known for its deep shades of blue, similar to blue onyx and lapis lazuli. Like most blue gems, afghanite is associated with the element water.
Afghanite isn’t an official zodiac or star stone, but it’s believed to attune to the Scorpio sign in astrology. Its profoundly peaceful energy brings a sense of calm when things get too intense for fiery Scorpios.
Chemical formula: (Na, Ca, K)12-(Si, Al)16O34(Cl, SO4, CO3)4.H2O
Mineral Family: Cancrinite group
Composition: Silicate
Mohs hardness: 5.5 to 6
Color: White, variatios of blue, or very pale, almost colorless
Crystal structure: Trigonal
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Transparency: Transparent to opaque
Refractive index: 1.52 to 1.53
Birefringence: 0.006
Density: 2.55 to 2.65
Cleavage: Perfect, 1 direction on [1010]
Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven
Streak: White
Luminescence: Fluorescent (yellow in LW-UV, orange-red in MW-UV, orange in SW-UV)
Afghanistan is a country blessed like few others in its mineral wealth. By some estimates the untapped gemstone deposits in this country are estimated to be $300 billion USD. However, the geological surveying of the country has been less than 10% of the area! Precious minerals, oil and gas have been estimated to be in the 1 trillion to 3 trillion ranges. It’s no wonder why Afghanistan is quickly moving to try to mine and develop so many of these resources.
The fact that so many of the deposits are not mined will help Afghanistan to pull itself out of poverty. The revenue from the Ministry of Mines is estimated to be 1/3 of all Afghanistan government revenue by 2016.
I have been on the ground in Kabul since July of 2011 teaching faceting, gemology, assisting with jewelry design and production. I have seen thousands of stones and loved almost every minute of it. I am a kid in a giant gemstone store! Most of the questions I have received from people concentrate on what kind of gems are in Afghanistan, so this article will discuss what stones are commonly found in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has almost every type of gemstone in the country. Diamonds have not been discovered yet, however if they are to be discovered it will be in Badakshan or Panjshir due to the geology of those areas. This information comes from the Ministry of Mines engineers who have surveyed the country looking for mineral deposits!
Afghanite is pretty durable, but it’s not indestructible. It can scratch, chip, or shatter if you aren’t careful.
Warm, soapy water works best for cleaning your afghanite gemstones. Wash the gem gently and pat dry with a soft, non-abrasive cloth.
Avoid your afghanite coming into contact with:
Harsh chemicals
Perfumes & cosmetics
Ultrasonic cleaners
Steam cleaners
Abrasive minerals
Sudden temperature changes
You should also avoid wearing afghanite during impact-prone activities. To be safe, store your afghanite gems in a soft, fabric-lined box or fabric pouch separately from other gems to prevent damage from it impacting harder minerals. You should also avoid wearing afghanite during impact-prone activities. To be safe, store your afghanite gems in a soft, fabric-lined box or fabric pouch separately from other gems to prevent damage from it impacting harder minerals.
As with emeralds, the most important factor when evaluating a ruby is its color. The deeper, and more intense the color, the better. Basically we measure color using three criteria: hue, tone, and saturationAfghanite presents a range of blue hues — from light to dark, pastel to vivid, and even completely colorless. Its blues are quite similar to lapis lazuli, mainly because afghanite shares a similar chemical formula to lazurite, lapis lazuli’s main component. Both are members of the impossibly large tectosilicate mineral group.
Afghanite gemstones are cut in many ways, ranging from traditional faceted cuts to beads, cabochons, and unique carvings. The most common carved shapes are afghanite spheres, pyramids, and palm stones (for meditation).
Afghanite usually contains lazurite inclusions of varying blue shades. These inclusions can be speckled (similar to what you see in granite) or vein-like (similar to what you see in marble).
Gems are categorized in carats, but rough (or raw) afghanite is commonly measured by grams. Gem-quality afghanite is very rare; most specimens are under 3 carats. Large specimens of rough afghanite are even rarer. Anything large tends to garner higher prices.