Unakite

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale), Color: mottled green and pink/salmon, Luster: vitreous to dull, Crystal Structure: Monoclinic (epidote) and Triclinic (feldspar), Cleavage: poor/irregular, Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.20.

Formed through the hydrothermal metamorphism of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by epidote. Ages vary greatly depending on the original granitic source, often found in Precambrian basement rocks.

Primarily used as a lapidary stone for beads, cabochons, and decorative carvings. Also used occasionally as an architectural stone or crushed for high-quality construction aggregate.

First discovered in the Unaka Range of the Appalachian Mountains in the United States, which is where it derives its name. It is the state rock of Virginia.

Identify in the field by its distinct 'pistachio and ham' appearance—the combination of green epidote and pink orthoclase feldspar. Common in riverbeds and beaches in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, and as glacial till around the Great Lakes.