metamorphic
Unakite Pebble
Altered Granite (Epidotized Granite)
Hardness: 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Mottled reddish-pink (orthoclase feldspar) and dull green (epidote), with minor gray quartz. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium-grained, stream-rounded pebble with a smooth, weathered surface.
- Hardness
- 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale. Color: Mottled reddish-pink (orthoclase feldspar) and dull green (epidote), with minor gray quartz. Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium-grained, stream-rounded pebble with a smooth, weathered surface.
Formation & geological history
Formed through hydrothermal metamorphism of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by green epidote while pink orthoclase feldspar and quartz remain intact. Often transported and rounded by stream or glacial action.
Uses & applications
Popular for lapidary work, tumbling, cabochons, decorative carvings, and beads. Also collected as an ornamental beach or river pebble.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the southeastern United States. Its striking pink and green color contrast makes it easily recognizable even in small rounded pebbles.
Field identification & locations
Field Identification: Distinctive combination of salmon-pink feldspar and pistachio-green epidote, often rounded by water erosion. Commonly found along riverbeds, gravel pits, and shoreline beaches in metamorphic terrains. Collectors test hardness (scratches glass) to distinguish from jasper.
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