Benitoite

Benitoite is a mineral containing barium and titanium. It has a similar appearance to sapphire but is much softer.

Benitoite is named for the San Benito River.[1] It is the official state gem of California.[2]

Benitoite was the first discovered example of the ditrigonal dipyramidal crystal class.[3]


Sources

  1. ↑ "Benitoite". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  2. ↑ "Benitoite: California's State Gem". California Dept. of Conservation. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  3. ↑ Zachariasen, W. H. (1930). "XVI. The Crystal Structure of Benitoite, BaTiSi3O9". Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials. 74 (1–6): 139–146. doi:10.1524/zkri.1930.74.1.139.
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