biology daily - the biology and biochemistry encyclopedia
biology daily articles and research Encyclopedia Dictionary Forums biology research links Weblinks Pictures Articles Blogs Newsletter

Blue stone

Blue stone is a generic mineral description commonly applied to a variety of minerals. Perhaps the most common reference is to the hydrated copper (II) sulfate mineral, chalcanthite. The name "blue stone" is also applicable lazurite, the core comstituent of lapis lazuli, a sulfide of sodium aluminium silicate in the sodalite group. The term bluestone is also used for the dolerite stones at Stonehenge.

Other uses of the name blue stone may refer to blue-grey building stone or paving material. In Australia a bluish variety of basalt is widely used for building.

The name should not be confused with blue john, which is a blue/purple variety of fluorite, also known as fluorspar, found in Derbyshire, England.



07-14-2008 23:18:10
The contents of this article are licensed from Wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. How to see transparent copy
BiologyDaily.com 2005. Legal info   Privacy