mineral

Green Calcite

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale to sea-foam green; Luster: Vitreous to waxy/greasy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Rhombohedral; Cleavage: Perfect rhombohedral in three directions; Specific Gravity: 2.71

Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale
Color: Pale to sea-foam green
Luster: Vitreous to waxy/greasy

Identified March 23, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through sedimentary processes via chemical precipitation or in metamorphic environments as marble. It often forms in marine settings or hydrothermal veins where calcium-rich waters cool or evaporate.

Uses & applications

Used primarily as a decorative stone, in lapidary work (cabochons), as a source of lime in the chemical industry, and highly valued in the metaphysical and specimen collecting communities.

Geological facts

Calcite is famous for its double refraction (birfringence), where light passing through a clear specimen splits into two rays. Green calcite specifically gets its color from chlorite trapped during crystallization or rhombohedral lattice distortions.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its softness (can be scratched by a copper coin) and its violent effervescence (fizzing) when exposed to cold dilute hydrochloric acid. Commonly found in Mexico, Brazil, and the USA.