MINING ROCKSTAR OF THE WEEK – SUGILITE!!

Sugilite is a rare mineral and a gemstone best known for its vibrant pink to purple colours. High-quality specimens are sought after by mineral collectors and lapidarists (people who cut and polish gems). Sugilite is a sodium potassium lithium silicate mineral. Small amounts of manganese produce the pink to purple colour displayed by some specimens of sugilite. Its chemical composition is as follows: KNa2(Fe,Mn,Al)2Li3Si12O30. The composition of sugilite varies because iron, manganese, and aluminum can substitute for one another. This makes the colour and other properties of sugilite variable - "Geology.com".