page_title: Rainbow lattice sunstone
hierarchical_section_title: Rainbow lattice sunstone
caption_attribution_description: English: Rainbow Lattice Sunstone with Hematite and Ilmenite equilateral triangle inclusions
context_page_description: Rainbow lattice is a type of feldspar which is predominantly moonstone that is made up of 75% orthoclase and 25% albite.
  The inclusions are the result of crystallographically oriented exsolution crystals within the feldspar mass.
  Whilst the initial testing of the stones inclusions conducted in 1989 concluded that the inclusions were made up of ilmenite and hematite, with the advancement in technology over the last 3 decades, a recently conducted more in depth analysis has found the black blades and triangle inclusions in Rainbow Lattice to be magnetite.
  Hematite which are small mainly yellow to deep orange platelets which can be hexagonal shape and are generally in one plane within the feldspar. This effect is called aventurescence or "sunstone effect" which gives some of the gems an orange glow.
  Magnetite iron oxide which creates the lattice effect. This forms as very thin blades that occur on one plane in different directions. These blades are oriented in different directions by a process known as lamellar twinning and also displays “sagenitic twinning”, which forms the lattice pattern.
context_section_description: Rainbow lattice is a type of feldspar which is predominantly moonstone that is made up of 75% orthoclase and 25% albite.
  The inclusions are the result of crystallographically oriented exsolution crystals within the feldspar mass. 
  Whilst the initial testing of the stones inclusions conducted in 1989 concluded that the inclusions were made up of ilmenite (for the black blades and triangles) and hematite (for the orange platelets), with the advancement in technology over the last 3 decades, a recently conducted more in depth analysis has found the black blades and triangle inclusions in Rainbow Lattice to be magnetite.
  Hematite (Fe2O3) which are small mainly yellow to deep orange platelets which can be hexagonal shape and are generally in one plane within the feldspar. This effect is called aventurescence or "sunstone effect" which gives some of the gems an orange glow.
  Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) iron oxide which creates the lattice effect. This forms as very thin blades that occur on one plane in different directions . These blades are oriented in different directions by a process known as lamellar twinning and also displays “sagenitic twinning”, which forms the lattice pattern.
  The magnetite inclusions in many cases have oxidized or altered through geophysical processes to give the iridescence or rainbow effect across the lattice patterning.
  The magnetite that has no alteration remains black with a metallic sheen.
  The magnetite also predominantly forms equilateral triangles and the lattice pattern has triangular terminations.
caption: Rainbow lattice sunstone with hematite and magnetite equilateral triangle inclusions
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "", "Image Make": "NIKON", "Image Model": "COOLPIX P5000", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "PhotoScape", "Image DateTime": "2016:06:20 09:52:05", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "264", "EXIF ExposureTime": "10/1129", "EXIF FNumber": "17/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "64", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2016:06:20 09:52:05", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2016:06:20 09:52:05", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "29/10", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "15/2", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "3648", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2736", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "4236", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "0", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "36", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0", "EXIF OffsetSchema": "25"}