metamorphic
Unakite
Altered granite (Epidote, Orthoclase Feldspar, and Quartz)
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale; Color: Mottled green and pink/salmon; Luster: Vitreous to dull when polished; Crystal structure: Triclinic and hexagonal components within the composite rock; Cleavage: None distinct due to granular nature; Specific Gravity: 2.55-2.85
- Hardness
- 6-7 on the Mohs scale
- Color
- Mottled green and pink/salmon
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull when polished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on the Mohs scale; Color: Mottled green and pink/salmon; Luster: Vitreous to dull when polished; Crystal structure: Triclinic and hexagonal components within the composite rock; Cleavage: None distinct due to granular nature; Specific Gravity: 2.55-2.85
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal alteration (metasomatism) of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by epidote. Geological age varies widely depending on the host granite intrusion, ranging from Precambrian to Paleozoic eras.
Uses & applications
Popularly used as a decorative stone, tumbled stone, in jewelry making, and for carved objects or spheres by lapidary artists.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Mountains of western North Carolina, which is how it received its name. It is structurally a granite rock rather than a pure mineral.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its distinctive pink and green mottled appearance. Found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the USA, as well as South Africa, Brazil, and China. Often collected by amateur rockhounds and lapidists for tumbling.
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