metamorphic
Unakite
Altered Granite (Unakite)
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink (orthoclase feldspar) with white to grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Structure: Granular, coarse-grained rock texture.
- Hardness
- 6-7 on Mohs scale
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink (orthoclase feldspar) with white to grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Structure: Granular, coarse-grained rock texture.
Formation & geological history
Formed when granite is modified by hydrothermal metamorphism, where plagioclase feldspar is converted into green epidote by fluids enriched with calcium and iron.
Uses & applications
Popular as a decorative stone, lapidary material, carved ornamental objects, beads, tumbled stones, and cabochons for jewelry.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, USA, from which it gets its name.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive salmon-pink and pistachio-green mottled appearance. Commonly found in Virginia, North Carolina, and around Lake Superior in North America, as well as South Africa and Brazil.
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