Iolite is the gemstone variety of the mineral cordierite. Iolite crystals are usually transparent to translucent forms of the mineral.
Iolite is a silicon dioxide variety that occurs in quartz and other minerals, including many different varieties of cordierite. It has a brilliant blue color and can be found in the United States, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and elsewhere around the world.
The name iolite comes from Greek words meaning "to clear away" or "to make clear." The name comes from the ancient belief that iolites could remove obstacles in people's lives by helping them see clearly.
