GMS Field Trip October 2022

GMS Field Trip
Kyanite in Georgia
Sunday, October 23, 2022

GMS members gathered together on a beautiful autumn day to collect kyanite. Jason, Nedra, Aaron, and Nathan directed the field trip caravan of cars from the road and into neatly choreographed parking. They also prepped the area ahead of time, so we didn’t have to brave the prickly plants and tall grasses that often vex the eager digger.

The area set aside for us was not far from where we parked, so it wasn’t long before we were in the dirt. Kyanite blades on the surface were easy to find, and many were donated for grab bags. Digging took more effort, but the soil was not difficult to get through, yielding a few nice cobbles and some other interesting specimens.

In particular, Aaron found an incredible “X” shaped crystal that, as of this writing, he and others are studying. Blades forming a pyramid shape, blades perpendicular to each other, a clear kyanite blade, and a blade with a 90-degree bend were some of the curiosities for the day.

The kyanite is a light blue-gray color caused by graphite inclusions. Kyanite is anisotropic, i.e., its hardness varies depending on the orientation of the crystal. It can be 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale one direction and 6.5 to 7 perpendicularly. Although it takes some skill, the kyanite we collected can be polished to reveal deep chatoyant flashes.

Everyone found some nice kyanite to take home as well as memories of a fun day of digging. We cannot thank the property owner enough for allowing us to visit this wonderful site. Many thanks to Jason, Nedra, Aaron, and Nathan for helping with the trip. Jason and Charles worked hard to arrange this trip, so we owe them our thanks for that too.

Lori Carter
On behalf of Charles Carter, Field Trip Chair
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