metamorphic
Unakite (or Polished Jasper Pebble)
Altered Granite (Epidote-Orthoclase Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote), pink (orthoclase feldspar), and clear-to-grey (quartz). Luster: Vitreous to dull (smoothly polished in tumbled state). Cleavage: Poor/uneven fracture.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on the Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull (smoothly polished in tumbled state)
Identified More metamorphic →
Explore Unakite (or Polished Jasper Pebble) in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote), pink (orthoclase feldspar), and clear-to-grey (quartz). Luster: Vitreous to dull (smoothly polished in tumbled state). Cleavage: Poor/uneven fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal alteration of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by green epidote while pink orthoclase feldspar and quartz remain intact.
Uses & applications
Popular as a lapidary material for tumbled stones, beads, cabochons, carvings, decorative ornaments, and crystal healing specimens.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, USA, from which it derives its name.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive combination of pistachio-green epidote and salmon-pink orthoclase feldspar. Widely found in river beds and beaches around the US Great Lakes and South Africa.
More like this
