Published March 2015 • Updated July 2022 • Read Time: 7 minutes
Diopside is a green silicate mineral found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. When it is found in Kimberlite, an igneous rock, miners rejoice, because this is a sign that diamonds are nearby. Diopside is also a common ore for Chromium, a silvery metal. When Chromium is found in trace amounts however, it transforms the color of the mineral, it gives Diopside its pretty green shade and turns Rubies bright red! Diopside is a stone that celebrates Mother Earth energy. It is an excellent addition to gardens and plant magic. It can also help us to be more conscious of our environmental impact.
Diopside Meaning
Spiritual Healing Properties
Diopside’s energy facilitates a deep connection with the Earth Mother and Gaia energy. It allows us to better understand, communicate, and empathize with the needs of our fellow beings; including other humans, animals, plants, minerals, the Fairy Realm and even the Earth itself. It attracts Nature Spirits to our garden and helps us to take positive action in our own lives to reduce our carbon footprint and be a better steward and caretaker of the planet. Diopside has a refreshing energy that helps us our spirit to feel replenished and grateful for all the good bounty our Earth has to offer. Diopside brings a sense of lightness and joy to our heart, while keeping us deeply connected to the world around us.
| Metaphysical Properties | Diopside |
|---|---|
| Chakra | Earthstar, Root, and Heart |
| Element | Earth |
| Numerology | 9 |
| Zodiac | Virgo |
Emotional Healing Properties
Diopside has an incredibly soothing and refreshing energy, helping us to feel grounded and centered. Diopside encourages us to actively work to create balance in our lives, which also means taking time to rest and unwind without letting other worries distract us. Diopside helps us to keep things in perspective and to accurately see our own role and influence (or lack thereof!) in any situation. Diopside has a very feminine energy, encouraging us to be more in touch with our emotions and to communicate our wants and needs effectively. It is an excellent stone for pet owners and can help us to better care for our animals. Diopside also reminds us that spending time with animals is very good for our own hearts too.
Mental Healing Properties
Diopside has a wonderful effect on the mind, refreshing the intellect and helping us to see patterns and connections as well as to follow logical conclusions to their end. It is particularly good for helping us better understand mathematics, music, and scientific reasoning. Diopside’s energy can reveal the startlingly beautiful natural world and universe. It helps us to see both simplicity and complexity and to marvel at both with equal delight. This energy can also be turned inward, helping us to see ourselves more accurately and to dispassionately observe where we need to make improvements and how to go about doing that. Diopside is an excellent talisman for scientists as well as for anyone interested in helping to heal and restore our planet.
Physical Healing Properties
Diopside is used by metaphysical healers to heal the physical heart and lungs. It is also used to help the body regenerate and revitalize after surgery, major trauma, or chronic illness. It is said to be particularly beneficial for smokers who are trying to quit, as well as anyone who suffers from the effects of second-hand smoke. Is is also said to be helpful for athletes, especially runners, and can soothe muscle pain and reduce muscle spasms.
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Diopside Mineralogy
Where does Diopside come from?
Diopside has been found in large deposits in Canada, Russia, South Africa and the United States. While most forms of Diopside are green, the rare violet-blue variety has been found in Italy and the United States.
Mining and Treatments
Typically mined from primary deposits that still have their original relationship with the host rock. The presence of Diopside found near Kimberlite deposits is often a prospecting sign for Diamonds! As such, Diopside is sometimes mined as a secondary mineral in large Diamond mines, particularly in South Africa. However, Diopside can also be a mined on a very small scale.
All Diopside on the market is fully natural and has been enhanced only by cutting, tumbling, and polishing.
Diopside
Mineral Family
Diopside is a single-chain inosilicate mineral. Silicates are minerals which contain the elements Silicon (a light gray shiny metal) and Oxygen (a colorless gas). Together, these two elements form a tetrahedron – a shape similar to a pyramid – with a Silicon atom in the center and Oxygen atoms at each of the four corners. These tetrahedra connect with other chemical structures, in six different ways, to form various minerals and rocks. One way the tetrahedra can connect is in long single chains, and it is to this group that Diopside belongs.
Diopside’s energy works well with its family – other single-chain inosilicate minerals. Try it in combination with Cat’s Eye Quartz, Charoite, Hawk’s Eye, Hiddenite, Jadite, Kunzite, Larimar, Rhodonite, and Shattuckite
Diopside Formation and Crystal Associates
Diopside is typically formed in ultramafic igneous rocks such as Kimberlites and Olivine Basalts. An ultramafic rock has a very low silica content with a high content of Iron and Magnesium. Diopside may also be found in some metamorphic rocks, but in this case they were usually already present in an igneous rock.
Diopside’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment. Try it in combination with Epidote, Grossularite Garnet, and Hessonite Garnet
What gives Diopside its color?
Diopside is rich in the element Chromium. The silvery metal is responsible for the green coloring of both Diopside and Emerald. Despite this, Chromium doesn’t always make minerals green. When trace amounts of Chromium are found inside Corundum, more commonly known as Ruby and Sapphire, it gives Ruby its bright red color. Rare Green Sapphires get their coloring from an interaction with Iron.
| Mineralogy | Diopside |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | CaMg (Si2O6) |
| Cleavage | Distinct in two directions |
| Color | Green, can also be white, or violet-blue |
| Crystal System | Monoclinic |
| Form/Habit | Equant to prismatic |
| Fracture | Uneven |
| Hardness – Mohs Scale | 6 |
| Luminescence | None |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Mineral Family | Monoclinic |
| Specific Gravity | 3.3 |
| Streak | White to Pale Green |
| Transparency | Transparent to Opaque |
History of Diopside
Diopside is also a common ore for the chemical element Chromium, which is responsible for giving Rubies their bright red color. Chromium was used by the Qin Dynasty of China (221-206 BCE) to coat the metal weapons used in the Terracotta Army and it was used by the Western world as a red pigment during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its most fascinating potential use, however, has been hinted at in modern scientific laboratories. Chromium has been proven to increase the lifespan of insects by 10% and studies indicate that a diet rich in Chromium will likely increase human lifespans as well!
Diopside is a relatively new stone for the metaphysical community and so was not included in any of the ancient or medieval lapidaries, texts which describe gemstones and their powers. However, Diopside has long been considered a lucky stone among miners, since its presence often signifies that Diamonds may be nearby! Diopside and Diamonds are found together in Kimberlite, an igneous rock. Kimberlite is named for a town in South Africa near some of the most productive Diamond mines in the world. Diopside was found near the “Cullinan Diamond,” the largest rough Diamond ever found. It was cut into several Diamonds, which are today part of the British Crown Jewels, including “The Star of Africa”, mounted in the Royal Scepter.
Diopside is also a common ore for the chemical element Chromium, which is responsible for giving Rubies their bright red color. Chromium was used by the Qin Dynasty of China (221-206 BCE) to coat the metal weapons used in the Terracotta Army and it was used by the Western world as a red pigment during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its most fascinating potential use, however, has been hinted at in modern scientific laboratories. Chromium has been proven to increase the lifespan of insects by 10% and studies indicate that a diet rich in Chromium will likely increase human lifespans as well!1
Diopside is a rare mineral that belongs not just to the Earth, but to the stars as well! It has been found in small amounts in many Chondrite Meteorites, the most common type of meteorite, and the source of many “shooting stars.” Most Chondrite Meteorites are less than 1 inch in diameter by the time they strike the ground. They were created during the birth of our own solar system and as such are much older than anything found on Earth. These igneous rocks were melted and then crystallized while flying through space, approximately 5 billion years ago. Occasionally Chrondrite Meteorites go through a secondary process of metamorphism, while others remain in their primary igneous state. Diopside is one of the most common minerals that make up these fascinating igneous rocks. When viewed under a microscope, it gives these tiny meteorites a green sparkle.
