KYANITE

also spelled Cyanite, also called Disthene, silicate mineral that is formed during the regional metamorphism of clay-rich sediments. It is an indicator of deep burial of a terrain rather than high stress, as formerly thought. Kyanite occurs as elongated blades principally in gneisses and schists, and it is often accompanied by garnet, quartz, and mica. Its colour ranges from gray-green to black or blue, with blue and blue-gray being the most common colours. Kyanite varies in hardness according to the cleavage of its crystals. Occurrences include Switzerland; Trentino, Italy; the Urals, Russia; and New England, U.S. For detailed physical properties, see silicate mineral (table). Kyanite is one of the many phases in the aluminum silicate (Al2OSiO4) system and can only form stably over a limited range of pressures and temperatures. At lower pressures, the minerals sillimanite, mullite, and andalusite exist as stable phases. Kyanite is a major raw material for the mullite used in spark plugs and other refractory porcelains. A clear, deep-blue variety is sometimes cut as a gemstone.