Helenite.  A term given to a new gem making its way onto today's market place.  This is sometimes called Mt. St. Helens Obsidianite, Mt. St. Helens emmerald, and more recently under the cute name; Gaia Stone after the mythological Earth Goddess or Earth Spirit found in some Eastern and Asian religions.  In its natural form it is either red or green in color depending upon the mixture of chemicals found in Mt. St. Helens volcanic ash.  It was first discover by workers attempting so salvage destroyed logging equipment buried by the volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helen.  Workers noticed as they cut the metal away, the ash was melting from the heat of their torches into glass like globs.  Soon a rush was on by jewelers and other interested persons to re-create this event in more sterile environments, and thus Helenite was born.  It is often marketed as rare and formed as a result of the eruption.  Some claim it is a gem made from the volcanic ash, but the fact is, Helenite  is not a gem at all.  Helenite is nothing more than glass.

Unlike glass, Helenite has no basis for true gemstone claim.  Glass is made from silicate quartz, both natural and synthetic, but unlike quartz which is technically a gem, glass does not qualify as a gem despite its origin from a gemstone.  Glass cools far to quickly to reform all the intricate molecular structure needed to become a gem once more.  Helenite is no different.  It does not come from a gem or a gem source.  It comes only from an artifically created heat source placed beneath or directly onto volcanic ash made up of various glass particles such as obsidian naturally formed by volcanic heat and other minerals found within the ash.  Obsidian is one of the primary ingredients of Helenite, and is actually a type of volcanic glass formed by the heat of the volcano, but Helenite does not qualify as an obsidian since the volcano did not create it.  Like, quartz, once obsidian crystals are melted, they cool far too fast to reform their natural molecular structure and it becomes something totally different.  In short, it becomes just another man-made glass.

Helenite is not rare.  There are trillions of cubic tons of this volcanic ash and mud available to create this material.  A five gallon bucket full of ash will make many thousands of carets of  this so-called gem.  Anyone with a heat source can create it, and many thousands of pounds of it has been made in back-yard smelters and professionally set up laboratories.  It is there for the taking and making.  It is sought after by Jewelers because it makes a very inexpensive substitute for emeralds, ruby's, and garnets. It is sold in chunks as a tourist item.  It is easily cut, shaped, and polished.  It looks good to the eye, and for the professional jewelry industry it is easy on the pocket book with substantial returns by portraying it as a volcanic gem. 

Helenite does not come in any other color other than red or green.  Anyone trying to pass off other colors is not being honest or the mix had been tampered with to the point it could not be ethically called true Helenite.  I have seen every color under the rainbow advertised as Helenite.  The very same photo of the very same item has also been posted as another type of gem on eBay further down the listings.  Anyone attempting to sell this as anything other than red or green is lying to the buyer.  Anyone who sells Helentite as a rare gem is also lying.  It is pretty to look at, but the fact is the buyer is buying glass and not a stone.  The same color of glass can be had for a quarter in many bubble-gum machines. 

My advice for anyone considering this item is to  know your are buying little more than glass and don't over pay for it.

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, PLEASE READ ANOTHER GUIDE OF MINE - "THE GLASS FACTORY - GEM FICTION" - AND I AM CERTAIN THIS WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR DECISION MAKING.

THANK YOU FOR READING AND PLEASE VOTE ON MY GUIDES.