Unakite (often traded as Dragon Blood Jasper)

Physical Properties

Hardness of 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Opaque with a vitreous to dull luster. Features a characteristic mottled or streaked appearance with pistachio-green to dark green epidote matrix and salmon-pink to reddish orthoclase feldspar or piemontite inclusions. Takes a high polish as seen in the hand-carved tower.

Formation & Geological History

Forms through the hydrothermal alteration (metasomatism) of granitic rock, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by green epidote, leaving the pink orthoclase and quartz intact. Found in regions with historic tectonic and hydrothermal activity.

Uses & Applications

Widely used in lapidary arts for cabochons, polished towers or standing points (as seen in the image), spheres, beads, and decorative carvings. Consistently popular in the modern crystal collecting, jewelry, and metaphysical markets.

Geological Facts

Named 'Unakite' after the Unaka mountain range in North Carolina, USA, where it was first discovered. When the visual pattern shows deeper red streaks in a dark green matrix, similar stones are frequently marketed under the lapidary trade name 'Dragon Blood Jasper' (which strictly refers to a specific epidote and red piemontite mix from South Africa or Australia).

Field Identification & Locations

Easily identified by its distinctive opaque pink/salmon and green veining or mottling. Commonly found in the USA (Virginia, North Carolina), South Africa, and China. Novice collectors can easily recognize it in the field without advanced gemological tools.

Identified on: 4/15/2026

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