metamorphic
Unakite
Unakite (Epidotized Granite)
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Mottled green, pink, and gray; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Crystal structure: Monoclinic (epidote) and triclinic (feldspar); Cleavage: Uneven to splintery fracture.
- Hardness
- 6-7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Mottled green, pink, and gray
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Mottled green, pink, and gray; Luster: Dull to vitreous; Crystal structure: Monoclinic (epidote) and triclinic (feldspar); Cleavage: Uneven to splintery fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal metamorphism of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by epidote. Usually associated with Precambrian or Paleozoic eras.
Uses & applications
Used in lapidary work for beads, cabochons, and small carvings; also used as a decorative construction stone or architectural veneer.
Geological facts
It was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the United States, from which it takes its name. It is the state rock of Virginia.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its unique 'pistachio and salmon' color combination. Commonly found in riverbeds as water-worn pebbles in Virginia and North Carolina, and as glacial till in the Great Lakes region.
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