mineral
Chrysoprase
Silicon Dioxide (Chalcedony variety), SiO2
Hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, apple-green to dark green color, waxy to vitreous luster, microcrystalline (cryptocrystalline) crystal structure, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.58 to 2.61.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, apple-green to dark green color, waxy to vitreous luster, microcrystalline (cryptocrystalline) crystal structure, conchoidal fracture with no true cleavage, specific gravity of 2.58 to 2.61.
Formation & geological history
Formed by the weathering and aqueous dissolution of nickel-bearing serpentine or other ultramafic rocks, typically in hydrothermal or lateritic weathering environments.
Uses & applications
Widely used in jewelry making for cabochons, beads, rings, and carvings, as well as an ornamental stone and collector's specimen.
Geological facts
Chrysoprase is the most valuable variety of the quartz group chalcedony. Its distinctive green color is due to the presence of minute quantities of nickel-bearing hydrous silicates.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its signature apple-green color and waxy luster. Commonly found in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Poland, Russia, and the United States (California and Arizona).
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