metamorphic
Unakite
Epidotized Granite
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Mottled green, pink, and orange-peach; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Monoclinic and Triclinic components; Cleavage: None (in rock form); Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.20
- Hardness
- 6-7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Mottled green, pink, and orange-peach
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Mottled green, pink, and orange-peach; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Monoclinic and Triclinic components; Cleavage: None (in rock form); Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.20
Formation & geological history
Formed through hydrothermal metasomatism where plagioclase feldspar in granite is replaced by epidote. It is typically associated with Precambrian orogenic events.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as a decorative stone, in lapidary for cabochons and beads, architectural facings, and as an ornamental landscaping stone.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the United States, for which it is named. It is the state rock of Virginia.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its distinctive pistachio-green (epidote) and salmon-pink (orthoclase) coloration. Common in river beds and glacial till in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Lakes region.
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