EILAT
The eye opening complex & inspirational rock formation
This page proudly showcases EILAT, a stunning semi-precious rock gemstone formation that I have grown to love. My journey with this remarkable material began nearly two decades ago when I made my discovery point. Since that moment I have been captivated by its unique saturation and vibrant patterns appreciating the beauty of each stone. The variety I uncovered is truly one-of-a-kind—translucent when backlit and breathtaking in both rough and polished forms. It boasts an incredible display of crystal structure, with interlocking crystals that create a blue beauty reminiscent of an oceanscape and a bird's-eye view of the Earth, making it an essential collector's piece. Whether used in jewelry or as polished stones, EILAT serves as a daily reminder to appreciate its rich saturation. This material naturally evokes a sense of calm and empowerment, with an intense blue glow when held to the sun or backlit, distinguishing it from other offerings in the market. Its hardness, a result of quartz that has solidified the secondaries, sets my material apart, allowing for superior luster and polish. You can even cut it into wafer-thin slices for decorative trim, inlay, and backlit centerpieces. I have also utilized this material for decorative wall tiles, as it performs similarly to quartz in touch, cutting, and polishing. This page is dedicated to sharing my learning experience with the community. "Eilat has been a fascinating scientific and geological journey for me. There are countless minerals that may appear identical but have entirely different compositions! Understanding their identification is essential.’s an insight into its formation and how the Earth evolved to create this captivating gemstone."
A Sight to See
The epitome of evolution and the prize of a millennia courtesy of oceanscape to dry land events coupled with mantle cracking.
Our Story One Amazing Material
EILAT, primarily composed of Chrysocolla and Turquoise, often includes Malachite and occasionally features Azurite or Lapis as a unique addition. To qualify as true EILAT, Turquoise must be present in the stone. This gemstone has a rich history, with many tales linking it to the legendary King Solomon's mines. I am more interested in the complexity of its formulation and how it became what it is, rather than the origin of its name. Polishing the rough stone to see it transform is truly an experience, as each specimen is rewarding.
Summary: While other regions, particularly in Africa and the Congo, produce Chrysocolla and Malachite, they are not the same as E. I've encountered some impressive specimens that resemble my oversized botryoidal conglomerates and pseudomorphs. Once you explore my collection, you'll quickly become knowledgeable about this find and become a subject expert. There is a lot of hocus pocus out there and I focus solely on the science. I may make some wild claims like "The Robin's Egg and Violet Electric Blue Turquoise we discovered (now depleted sorry) is reminiscent of the renowned Bisbee Turquoise." Well, it's subjective, but it's darn near exact.
California Turquoise is quite rare, making Eilat even more exceptional when Turquoise is present. Its documented hardness is somewhere between 5 and 6. However I have been lucky to source one that is quartz-hardened by a druse coating, producing vibrant, mirror-reflective blues that can be illuminated when backlit, as well as solid translucent stones that allow for intricate carvings and thin wafer slices of webbing. I have cut 1mm slices and polished them to a final finish at 20k grit, setting this superior item apart from any other product on the market. Please note that while we enjoy creatively naming our finds in the images below, we take this matter seriously, and all photos are by copyright laws stemming from years of field research and discoveries.
Hall of Fame Specimen
The Earth underwent subduction in the U.S. Southwestern Deserts. This is a documented event; after once being a vast ocean teeming with life—fish and coral—it transformed into a beautiful landscape of scrub oak, stones, and plants. Due to the ocean's abundance of life, the fertilization of soils provides sources of beryllium, which can be found in zones resulting from the ocean floor. We are fortunate to have such a vast desert terrain, rich in mineralization from millions of years of evolution, both at the surface level and just below our feet. I have read about many Precambrian formations in SoCal, tucked between housing developments. Orogeny, or mountain formation, raised my seabed to elevations, exposing it to air and drying, which also helps to bake and cook minerals enveloped by complex geology and sands with metallic salts present. These landscapes created conditions perfect for turquoise to form, where minerals like aluminum, nickel, and copper contributed to the ideal chemical reactions. Some of the science behind this stone, and specifics as to why this unique variety of Eilat is unattainable elsewhere, remains elusive.
**Physical Characteristics:**
**Color:** Eilat Stone is characterized by its vivid blue and green colors, resulting from the presence of minerals such as chrysocolla, malachite, azurite, and turquoise. These colors can vary in intensity and distribution, leading to a striking and diverse appearance. There are often many lesser-known minerals, such as brochantite, bornite, chalcocite, shattuckite, covellite, tetrahedrite, and cuprite, to name a few.
**Luster:** Eilat Stone often exhibits a vitreous to waxy luster when polished, giving it a smooth and somewhat glossy appearance.
**Transparency:** Eilat Stone is typically opaque, meaning that light does not pass through it. Its opaque nature contributes to its unique visual appeal.
**Hardness:** The hardness of Eilat Stone varies depending on the specific minerals present, but it is generally relatively soft compared to many other gemstones. It typically ranges from 2.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, with turquoise on the lower end and chrysocolla on the higher end.
**Cleavage:** Eilat Stone does not have well-defined cleavage planes, meaning it doesn’t naturally split into clean, flat surfaces when subjected to stress.
**Chemical Characteristics:** Eilat Stone is primarily composed of several copper-bearing minerals, including but not limited to the following compositions:
- **Chrysocolla:** A hydrated copper silicate with the chemical formula (Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4·nH2O, contributing to the green and blue colors in Eilat Stone.
- **Malachite:** A copper carbonate mineral with the chemical formula Cu2(CO3)(OH)2, responsible for the green banding and patterns often seen in Eilat Stone.
- **Azurite:** Another copper carbonate mineral with the chemical formula Cu3(CO32(OH)2, adding to the blue coloration of Eilat Stone.
- **Turquoise:** A copper aluminum phosphate mineral with the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O, contributing to the blue hues in Eilat Stone.
presence of these copper-rich minerals is central to the composition of Eilat Stone, and their combination gives rise to the gemstone’s distinctive appearance.
**Optical Characteristics:**
**Refractive Index:** Eilat Stone typically has a refractive index ranging from 1.61 to 1., depending on its specific mineral composition. This measurement determines how much light is bent or refracted as it enters the stone.
**Birefringence:** Some minerals in Eilat Stone, such as chrysocolla and azurite, can exhibit birefringence, where light passing through the stone is split into two rays, each traveling at a different speed, creating interesting optical effects.
**Pleochroism:** Pleochroism refers to the ability of a mineral to exhibit different colors when viewed from different angles. In Eilat Stone, the presence of multiple mineral components can lead to pleochroism, displaying different shades of blue and green when viewed from various directions.
Overall, the combination of these physical, chemical, and optical characteristics makes Eilat Stone a distinctive and visually captivating gemstone, and this particular discovery even more interesting. Thank you! If you have questions, please reach out via the contact form. JHIATT