Esponite (new discovery in 2021) from Kunar, Afghanistan.

Spodumene is an inosilicate consisting of lithium, aluminum and silicate. It has appearances from colorless to many other colors. The colorless variety is called trifane, the pink to purple variety is kunzite and the emerald green variety of spodumene is known as hiddenite. The crystal system is monoclinic and the stripe color is white. The average density is 3.15 and the hardness is 6.5 to 7. Spodumene is neither radioactive nor magnetic. The name spodumene is derived from the Greek word spodoumenos which means "burning to ashes." This is due to the ash-gray appearance of the material it is made for use in industry. Depending on the color, the varieties kunzite and hiddenite are distinguished, which are named after the discoverers George Frederick Kunz and W.E. Hidden. Since spodumene contains lithium, it is a mineral that crystallizes late into a magma. It is therefore commonly found in granitic pegmatites. The type location is the Pala district in San Diego, California, USA. The largest European stock is located in Northern Portuguese soil.