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The name Iolite is derived from the Greek "los", meaning violet. It was also known as the Vikings compass, due to its ability to determine the direction of the sun on overcast days. When the legendary Viking mariners sailed the wide ocean, they used thin pieces of iolite as the worlds first polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine the exact position of the sun, and navigate safely. The natural mineral has little commercial use.
Iolite (also called Dichroite or Cordierite) is a transparent, violet-blue, light blue, blue, rich blue-violet stone. It is a blue silicate mineral that occurs as crystals or grains in igneous rocks, only as a result of contamination of the magma by aluminous sediment. Its chemical composition is Magnesium Aluminum Silicate (Mg2Al3O). Iolite has a rather extraordinary optical property. The gemstone changes colors depending upon which angle it is viewed from.
Iolite is a highly revered stone in the Ayurvedic tradition. One of the best stones for activating the third eye and crown chakras. Stimulates psychic awareness and promotes accuracy in intuitive pursuits. Enhances leadership ability, power, inner strength, self-confidence and executive ability.
Most of the Iolite available today comes from Sri Lanka, Burma, India, Madagascar and Brazil. Precambrian deposits of the Laramie Range, (Wyoming, USA) contain more than 500,000 tons of Iolite.
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