Pietersite

Hardness (Mohs): 7
Color: Blue, Red, Gold
Transparency: Opaque to Semi-Translucent
Notable Occurrences: Africa (Namibia) and China

Pietersite, a favorite of mine since the moment I first saw it, is a beautiful chatoyant stone discovered by Sid Pieters in Namibia in 1962. It displays fields and fibrous striations of color ranging through blue, red, gold, yellow and variations within those colors. It was also discovered in China in 1993, though the material from China is generally more infused with the red and gold, with the blue being less common. I understand that both mines are now closed - the one in Namibia now beneath a lake and the one in China closed due to ground water problems, so good supplies of this stone are becoming more difficult to find.

Folklore/Metaphysical Properties: Seems to be a stone of transition and movement encouraging and bringing energy to promote change in one's life; also promotes loyalty to one's self and opens one up to experience life at a more heightened state of consiousness.