Color is usually colorless to pale violet on smaller crystals, pale to dark violet on larger crystals, and pale to dark yellow and pale orange on fibrous masses. Luster is vitreous on smaller crystals, dull to greasy on larger crystals and dull on fibrous masses. Diaphaneity is transparent in smaller crystals, and opaque in larger crystals and fibrous masses.
Fracture is uneven.
Hardness is 5 - 6. Streak is white. Associated Minerals include amphibole group, biotite, fluorite, phlogopite, rinkite and s randite.