Epidote

Epidote has poor toughness due to its natural cleavage planes, which are weak areas within the crystal structure where it can easily fracture under pressure. This characteristic renders it susceptible to cracking during regular use.

Epidote demonstrates resilience against most everyday conditions except for extreme heat and harsh chemicals.

Clinozoisite is green, white or pale rose-red group species containing very little iron, thus having the same chemical composition as the orthorhombic mineral zoisite.

They are commonly prismatic in habit, the direction of elongation being perpendicular to the single plane of symmetry. The faces are often deeply striated and crystals are often twinned. Many of the characters of the mineral vary with the amount of iron present for instance, the color, the optical constants, and the specific gravity. The color is green, grey, brown or nearly black, but usually a characteristic shade of yellowish-green or pistachio-green. It displays strong pleochroism, the pleochroic colors being usually green, yellow and brown.

Epidote is an abundant rock-forming mineral, but one of secondary origin. It occurs in marble and schistose rocks of metamorphic origin. It is also a product of hydrothermal alteration of various minerals (feldspars, micas, pyroxenes, amphiboles, garnets, and others) composing igneous rocks. A rock composed of quartz and epidote is known as epidosite.

Epidote is a calcium aluminium iron sorosilicate mineral.

The perfectly transparent, dark green crystals from the Knappenwand and from Brazil have occasionally been cut as gemstones.

Well-developed crystals are found at many localities: Knappenwand, near the Großvenediger in the Untersulzbachthal in Salzburg, as magnificent, dark green crystals of long prismatic habit in cavities in epidote schist, with asbestos, adularia, calcite, and apatite; the Ala valley and Traversella in Piedmont; Arendal in Norway; Le Bourg-d'Oisans in Dauphiné; Haddam in Connecticut; Prince of Wales Island in Alaska, here as large, dark green, tabular crystals with copper ores in metamorphosed limestone.

The name, due to Haüy, is derived from the Greek word "epidosis" (ἐπίδοσις) which means "addition" in allusion to one side of the ideal prism being longer than the other.

Epidote is believed to enhance spiritual growth and empower all who come in contact with it. Its power is said to help the body release negative energy and allow for positive healing. It is often used to counteract feelings of depression, and restore vitality and hope. It provides an earthly grounding nature that helps to balance the mind, body, and spirit.