By Chisom Ibemere
Phenakite also called phenacite is a rare nesosilicate mineral which consists of beryllium orthosilicate. It is used occasionally as a gemstone. It occurs as isolated crystals, which are rhombohedral with parallel-faced hemihedrism, and are either lenticular or prismatic in habit.
Phenakite has no cleavage, and a conchoidal fracture. It has a high Mohs hardness of 7.5 – 8, and specific gravity of 2.96. It has a perfectly colorless and transparent crystal but may be greyish or yellowish and only translucent, it may also be pale rose-red.
The name Phenakite was gotten from the ancient Greek “Phenax” which means “deciever” as a result of its close similarity with quartz. It occurs in high-temperature pegmatite veins and in mica-schists associated with quartz, chrysoberyl, apatite and topaz.
It is found in association with topaz and amazonite in some locations such as, in the granite of the Ilmen Mountains in the southern Urals and of the Pikes Peak region. With little dispersion exceptional hardness of 7.5 to 8 and an indistinct cleavage make it a good, unusual, stone for any type of jewelry. Phenakite is mined in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.