Larimar
If semi-precious stones have their own cache of best-kept secrets, then one of them is definitely Larimar, an extremely rare precious stone that has only been found in one very small location on the planet, a remote mountain range of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.
Larimar is a rare variety of the silicate mineral, pectolite, and varies in color from white, light-blue, green-blue to deep blue. Larimar has recently entered the U.S. market and is easily separated from similar-appearing materials.
Definition:
Larimar is a type of pectolite or a rock composed largely of pectolite, an acid silicate hydrate of calcium and sodium. Pectolite is found in many locations around the world, but Larimar has a unique volcanic blue coloration, possibly as the result of copper substitution for calcium as in Azurite and Turquoise. However, the copper concentrations have been found to be lower in the blue Larimar than the paler white areas. Thus, the amount of copper is not high enough to be responsible for the blue coloring. Concentrations of Vanadium may act as the agent, but the variations are not consistent with the coloring. This all indicates that there are other factors affecting the color of Larimar.
Most of the gemological properties are consistent with those previously reported for pectolite; the cause of color in this material is sometimes believed to be related to the presence of small amounts of Cu2+. All this being said, the color appears to be stable to light, but does react to irradiation and to the heat of a jeweler's torch.
Larimar comes in a wide variety of colors ranging from gentle greens to the deepest blue. The patterns created during the cooling process give Larimar its unique appearance, with so much variation that no two pieces are alike. Due to the very small deposits of Larimar and the limited financial value of the Larimar deposit extensive geological surveys of the land have never been done. The available quantity of Larimar is unknown, but what is known is that the surface area has been mined out, so now the shafts are chasing the Larimar deposit deep into the mountain.
The hardness of Larimar is from 4 to 5 on the Mohs scale, depending on the crystalline structure of the stone. Generally, the more intense blue and green specimens of Larimar are the hardest, as they have the finest and densest needle structure.
How It’s Formed:
Larimar is formed when volcanic activity causes a unique mixture of minerals (Copper, Vanadium, Hematite, Phosphorus & Silica) into a hydrothermal fluid which cools and crystalizes into the gemstone.
It is thought that Larimar was formed by super-hot mineral-rich fluid being forced into cracks and fissures formed by tectonic activity. As the fluid in these cavities cooled, small crystalline nuclides called spherulites formed. As the fluid continued to cool the spherulites mixed and eventually coalesced into a gel which eventually hardened into Larimar.
Studies have shown that fine elongated needles indicate that rapid cooling occurred. However, the larger grains in the white areas indicate that more fluid entered the void and cooled at a slower rate. The broken and bent needles at the interphase also provide evidence that the two different areas cooled at slightly different rates.
Large quantities of this attractive ornamental stone have been found in cavities and veins of altered basalt. Today those cracks and fissures form the prized Larimar veins that the miners spend years searching for. When a vein is found, the host rock must be cut open to reveal what is inside. It is very common to open a Larimar rock and only find low-grade white or green material inside.
The History & Lore of Larimar:
It is likely that the Taino Indians who inhabited the island now know as the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean for a thousand years before Columbus arrived knew of Larimar. But it was not until 1916 that the first official records existed.
The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Mining records show that Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren of the Barahona Parish requested permission on 22 November 1916 to explore and exploit the mine of a certain blue rock that he had discovered. This Spanish missionary was in the area looking for gold and other precious resources that could be exploited to explore the area. Pectolites were not yet known in the Dominican Republic, and the request was rejected. However, it is unclear what he knew and when he was sent back to Spain. There is no more mention of the stone until the 1950s.
Miguel Méndez, a Dominican Republic resident, and Peace Corps volunteer Norman Rilling rediscovered Larimar in 1974 on a beach at the foot of the Bahoruco Mountain Range, the coastal province of Barahona. Natives believed that the stone came from the sea, and they called the gem Blue Stone. It is also believed that an earthquake had shaken the mountains caused the hidden gems to dislodge and tumble into the local river.
The two explorers decided to call the beautiful stone Larimar, a name that combined the Dominican’s daughter’s name, “LARISSA”, and the Spanish word for sea, “MAR”. A unique name for a unique stone, Larimar, to suggest the colors of the Caribbean Sea where it was found. There are other names which have been applied to Larimar, for example “the Atlantis stone” and “the dolphin stone”, both of which are intriguing and both represent different characteristics of this unique gemstone. The few stones that they found were alluvial sediment, washed into the sea by the Bahoruco River. An upstream search revealed the outcrops in the range and soon the Los Chupaderos mine was formed.
Symbolism:
Larimar is highly sought after within the metaphysical community, as Larimar is believed to be a healing stone. Healers that use gemstones in their work were amongst the first people to recognize the true rarity and value of Larimar and much has been written about the metaphysical properties.
The vibrational frequency of Larimar is one of the highest of any gemstone; the energy in Larimar is incredibly high, resulting in many desirable properties. It is finely attuned with the throat chakra and many believe it has the ability to enhance a person’s communication skills. Larimar has shown great effects on one's trust and love towards their partner, as it opens their hearts and souls, revealing their true feelings and love towards one another. Larimar is the ultimate love stone for couples of all ages.
Edgar Cayce prophesied the discovery of Larimar in his writings. Larimar is often associated with Atlantis, and many psychics have since confirmed this connection (hence the name Atlantis stone).
Larimar combines the energy of the oceans with the energy of the heavens which means Larimar helps to combine our thoughts (air) with our emotions (water).
When placed on the skin, the high vibrational energy of Larimar can help to ease stress and tension and it is said to be excellent for clearing headaches. Local folklore also says that Larimar has the ability to attract one's soulmate!
According to the Book of Stones by Robert Simmons, placing Larimar on your work desk can promote a relaxed and serene atmosphere. Carry Larimar around for good luck and wear Larimar around your neck to promote clearer communication. Even those who don’t believe in the healing powers of stones often carry their Larimar around as a good luck charm.
Metaphysical Properties of Larimar
Larimar is best known to be a healing stone, but its metaphysical powers go much deeper. It has effects on four of the seven main chakras: the Heart, the Throat, the Third Eye and the Crown chakra by healing and enlightening. Larimar helps stress-related imbalances, general anxiety and panic attacks. Larimar works by bringing balance and harmony with your energies to achieve overall calm, relaxation and unity within oneself.
Larimar’s powers are both mental and physical. Physically, it helps heal inflammation quicker; it is helpful to bring down fevers and heal sunburns quicker. Because it works to heal fire element energy, it is also used to clear eczema and other skin disorders linked to anxiety. For pregnant women, it helps regulate the intensity of hot flashes. With Larimar’s healing effects towards the throat chakra, it targets joint and cartilage pain. Larimar is widely used as a reflexology tool, and can also stimulate brain activity by dissolving energy blocks in the body.
Larimar’s effects on one’s mental state are numerous. Its main purpose is to get in touch with one’s emotions, reconnect with oneself within a deeper sense of calm and relaxation. It helps lower depression, feelings of loss and stress. When used on the Third Eye Chakra, it has healing properties with anxiety and lack of self-confidence. Larimar helps you stay calm when you experience changes; it assists in making you see the bigger picture and get a broader perspective in your life and everyday experiences.
Larimar can also have a positive and stimulating effect on creative minds; by clearing up the paths between your emotions and the anxiety of new events and experience, it helps you live more in the moment and accept and adapt to things you cannot control.
The Dominican Republic, near Barahona
Location:
Larimar deposits have been found in only one place in the world. A remote mountain range on the island of Hispaniola. The total surface area of the Larimar deposits is thought to cover less than a single square mile. It is unknown why Larimar only formed in this one location, but the mountain range was formed by tectonic plates pushing against one another, so the region was very volcanically active and it was most likely a unique volcanic event that led to the formation of Larimar.
The most important outcrop of blue pectolite is located at Los Chupaderos in the section of Los Checheses, about 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of the city of Barahona in the southwestern region of the Dominican Republic. It is a single mountainside now perforated with approximately 2,000 vertical shafts, surrounded by rainforest vegetation and deposits of blue-colored mine tailings.
Forty years ago the deposit of Larimar was on the surface, but over time that material has been mined out requiring the shafts to go deeper and deeper. After 30 + years of mining, the higher quality stones are now more than 500 ft. down and take about 2 years to excavate. It is not uncommon for miners to spend several years digging without finding a single piece of Larimar.
The best quality Larimar is often found in a layer between two different types of rocks, so the miners dig vertical shafts down until they hit this boundary layer and then start tunneling around looking for the veins of Larimar.
A vein of Larimar can be as small as a couple of inches up to around twenty inches wide. The lengths vary from a few inches to several feet long. Several small Larimar veins are usually located in the same area, so once a vein is located, they follow it until it runs out, which means that the tunnels twist and turn in every direction. Larimar mining is considered “artisan mining”, meaning that it is small scale and informal, carried out by individuals or small groups using minimal machinery and equipment.
Machinery and dynamite have a tendency to damage the Larimar stone and make it unusable, yet the ground consists of hard igneous rock so the only solution is to dig manually with pickaxes and small tools to aid in breaking up the stone.
Care & Cleaning:
Larimar is a 4-5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Although not as hard as other gemstones, Larimar has been shown to be wearable every day, with simple gemstone bracelets.
Larimar can be cleaned with water and a silver polishing cloth, or diluted mild dish soap and warm water. Do not put Larimar in an ultrasonic cleaning machine, or steam cleaners, as this might strip off the polish.
Why We Love This Gemstone
Larimar is Unique:
Several factors affect the grade of Larimar, such as color, patterning, luster, luminosity, and inclusions. Our advice is to choose a piece that appeals to your own personal preferences of color, shade and patterning.
High-Quality Larimar is Rare:
Only a fraction of mined Larimar is of the highest grade, having a pleasing blue color palette and no cracks or inclusions. The more intense the blue color and the contrast in the stone, the higher and rarer is the quality.
Recently Discovered & Artisanly Mined
Larimar was rediscovered in 1974 in a remote mountain range in Hispaniola. The mining operations are small and done with small or minimal machinery through tunnels that twist and turn.
COLOR
Larimar can range from green to blue. The most blue seems to be the most desirable.
PATTERN
Intricate patterns give each gemstone a unique appearance.
INCLUSIONS
Inclusions can be interesting but tend to be avoided.
CRACKS
Cracks are natural, but are usually avoided, especially in jewelry.