Spodumene is a is a source of lithium. It occurs as Kunzite from colorless to yellowish, purplish or lilac. Hiddenite is yellowish-green or emerald-green prismatic crystals, often of great size. From Black Hills of South Dakota, USA, single crystals 47 ft in size have been reported.

Crystals are typically heavily striated parallel to the principal axis. Crystal faces are often etched and pitted with triangular markings. Spodumene was first described in 1800 for an occurrence in Sweden.

The name is derived from the Greek word spodumenos meaning “burnt to ashes.” This refers to the opaque, ash-grey appearance of material refined for use in industry.

Spodumene occurs in lithium-rich granite pegmatites and aplites. Quartz and beryl are two of the other associated minerals.

Transparent material has long been used in jewelery with varieties kunzite and hiddenite noted for their strong pleochroism. An optical phenomenon in which a substance appears to be different colors when observed at different angles, especially with polarized light is known as pleochroism.

Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Pakistan, Quebec, North Carolina and California are sources if spodumene.