metamorphic
Unakite
Altered Granite (Epidotized Granite)
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink (orthoclase feldspar) with clear to grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Crystal Structure: Monoclinic/Triclinic composite. Cleavage: Indistinct in massive form. Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.20.
- Hardness
- 6 to 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink (orthoclase feldspar) with clear to grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Crystal Structure: Monoclinic/Triclinic composite. Cleavage: Indistinct in massive form. Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.20.
Formation & geological history
Formed through metasomatic alteration where plagioclase feldspar in granite is converted to epidote by hydrothermally active fluids. Found in igneous and metamorphic terranes.
Uses & applications
Popular lapidary material used for beads, cabochons, carvings, ornamental spheres, and decorative architectural stone.
Geological facts
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. Frequently found in riverbeds and glacial deposits in areas with exposed granite basement rock.
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