metamorphic
Unakite
Altered Granite (Epidotized Granite)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pistachio green (epidote), pink to orange-red (orthoclase feldspar), and gray/clear (quartz). Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium to coarse-grained metamorphic rock.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Dull to vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pistachio green (epidote), pink to orange-red (orthoclase feldspar), and gray/clear (quartz). Luster: Dull to vitreous. Texture: Medium to coarse-grained metamorphic rock.
Formation & geological history
Formed when granite undergoes hydrothermal metamorphism. Deep, hot fluids containing dissolved minerals transform plagioclase feldspar into green epidote, while pink orthoclase feldspar and quartz remain preserved.
Uses & applications
Popular as a decorative stone, lapidary material, cabochons for jewelry, carvings, spheres, and tumble-polished display pieces.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, USA, from which it gets its name. It is the state rock of Virginia.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its distinct combination of mottled pistachio-green epidote and salmon-pink feldspar. Commonly found in riverbeds and glacial deposits in Virginia, North Carolina, and around Lake Superior, as well as South Africa and Brazil.
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