

Richard Kirwan named actinolite in 1794, its name origins from the Greek aktina and lithos words referring to its look, the mixture of the bladed radiating crystals with interesting patterns. This mineral is a type of asbestos, its consistence is simular to the tremolite mineral, only the iron-magnesium ratio is different. Its smoother, fibrous hair-like look is byssolite, but it also occurs in nephrite and jade. It usually issues from slates, amphibolite during the transformation (metamorphosis) of volcanic rocks. We can find nice specimens of actinolite in more localities in the Alps, but also in Australia, Norway, Canada, Nambinia and Pakistan.