metamorphic
Unakite
Altered Granite (Epidotized Granite)
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink/red-orange (orthoclase feldspar) with minor clear to gray quartz; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Monoclinic/Triclinic/Trigonal (aggregate rock); Cleavage: Poor in aggregate form; Specific Gravity: 2.85–3.20
- Hardness
- 6 to 7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6 to 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink/red-orange (orthoclase feldspar) with minor clear to gray quartz; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal Structure: Monoclinic/Triclinic/Trigonal (aggregate rock); Cleavage: Poor in aggregate form; Specific Gravity: 2.85–3.20
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal metamorphism (epidotization) of original granite, where plagioclase feldspar is converted into green epidote by circulating hot water solutions while pink orthoclase feldspar and quartz remain.
Uses & applications
Popular lapidary material used for cabochons, beads, carvings, tumbled stones, architectural tile, and decorative ornaments.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, USA, from which it gets its name. It is also the state rock of Virginia.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive 'pistachio and peach' color combination of green epidote and pink feldspar. Commonly found as beach pebbles around Lake Superior and in riverbeds across the Appalachian Mountains and South Africa.
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