mineral
Blue Chalcedony
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale blue, grey-blue, lavender; Luster: Waxy to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Cryptocrystalline (Trigonal/Monoclinic); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 2.58–2.64
- Hardness
- 6
- Color
- Pale blue, grey-blue, lavender
- Luster
- Waxy to vitreous
Identified More mineral →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale blue, grey-blue, lavender; Luster: Waxy to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Cryptocrystalline (Trigonal/Monoclinic); Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 2.58–2.64
Formation & geological history
Formed from the deposition of silica from water solutions in volcanic cavities (vugs) or sedimentary environments. It is often associated with low-temperature hydrothermal activity.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in lapidary arts, jewelry (cabochons and beads), and as a metaphysical or ornamental stone.
Geological facts
Blue chalcedony gets its color from the Tyndall effect—the scattering of light by microscopic inclusions or lattice defects, similar to why the sky appears blue.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, and translucency. It is common in Namibia, Turkey, Malawi, and the USA (California/Oregon). Collectors should look for a uniform, saturated blue color without dark inclusions.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
Metamorphic Rock
![Green Apatite on Albite (Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]) — mineral](https://media.rockidentification.com/2391a63f-fb20-47d5-af9a-2035851eb32e-thumbnail.jpg)
Green Apatite on Albite
Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]
mineral
Epidote
Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)
mineral