Specimens of potassium feldspar that display a phenomenon remarkably similar to Rainbow lattice sunstone have been found in the area of Statesville, North Carolina. After Mason's death, Arthur went to co-found Asterism Gems, a company which was set up to market and sell the gemstones. It was identified at the GIA and declared a new gem variety in 1989. The original source is located at what is now known as the Rainbow Caterpillar Mine, in the Harts Range northeast of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Rainbow lattice sunstone was first discovered in late 1985 by Darren Arthur and Sonny Mason, on a small claim owned by Mason.

The magnetite that has no alteration is black with a metallic sheen. Magnetite ( Fe 3O 4) forms black, equilateral triangles. These blades are oriented in different directions by a process known as lamellar twinning and also displays sagenitic twinning, which forms the lattice pattern. Hematite also forms as very thin blades that occur on one plane in different directions. This effect is called aventurescence or sunstone effect which gives some of the gems an orange glow. Hematite (Fe 2O 3) which are small mainly yellow to deep orange platelets which can be hexagonal shape and are generally in one plane within the feldspar. This research also discovered that the lattice patterns consist of orangey brown platelets of hematite and the black platelets consist of magnetite. It was found that the host mineral is orthoclase (Or 96Ab 4), as previously reported in the literature and the inclusions causing the aventurescence are hematite. From 2017 to 2018, six samples of rainbow lattice sunstone were studied using electron microprobe analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and laser Raman spectroscopy. Initially, the study of this gemstone in 1989 concluded that the inclusions were made up of ilmenite (for the iridescence lattice and black triangles) and hematite (for the orange platelets). Rainbow lattice sunstone with hematite and magnetite equilateral triangle inclusions Lower-quality Rainbow lattice sunstone is produced at another claim about 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) away from the primary source. The primary source of this sunstone is covered by a single mining claim about 500 by 600 meters (1,600 by 2,000 ft) in size. It is an area consisting of dry plains with rocky outcrops that lies in the Harts Range north-east of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.

Rainbow lattice sunstone is produced from a remote part of the Australian desert known as the Mud Tank Zircon Field. Sunstone refers to its physical appearance instead of its chemical composition. The iridescence lattice pattern consists of inclusions that are the result of crystallographically oriented exsolution crystals within the feldspar crystal. #rainbowlatticesunstone #rainbowlattice #sunstonenecklace #rainbowlatticesunstonejewelry #rainbowlatticesunstonependant #australianjewelry #australianstonenecklace #australianoutback #handmadeinaustralia #rareminerals #crystalsofaustralia #hartsrange #northernterritory #kuranda #cairnsaustralia #australianhandmadeRainbow lattice sunstone, also known as rainbow lattice, is a type of orthoclase feldspar that exhibits a rare combination of aventurescence, adularescence, and a distinctive iridescence lattice pattern.

👉Have you seen Rainbow Lattice before in person? What was your experience like? We would love to hear from you! Perhaps one of the keys to our past, present and future as humans on this Earth. 💥This stone was instrumental in Dreaming up Platypus Dreaming! Six years ago, when we were living in a two bedroom apartment in Sydney, we had a picture of a Rainbow Lattice crystal on our laptop background 😂 back then, we didn't even have a Lattice stone in our collection! We just kept it in our view while planning out our next life chapter. 💫Rainbow Lattice sunstone is here to help us disconnect from our 3D matrix to plug into a much vaster, multidimensional picture. Rainbow Lattice Sunstone, Handcollected in Hart's Range, Northern Territory.

Rainbow lattice sunstone necklace