Unakite

Mohs hardness 6 to 7; mottled pink (orthoclase feldspar), pistacio green (epidote), and clear-to-gray (quartz) coloration; vitreous to pearly luster; massive crystal habits; uneven fracture.

Forms when granite undergoes hydrothermal metamorphism (metasomatism). Plagioclase feldspar is replaced by green epidote while pink orthoclase and quartz remain relatively unchanged.

Widely used for lapidary work, cabochons, ornamental carvings, beads, crushed stone, and decorative aggregate.

Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, USA, from which it gets its name.

Identified in the field by its distinct combination of pistachio-green epidote and salmon-pink potassium feldspar. Commonly found in stream beds, glacial drift, and mountainous exposures in the US (Appalachians, Great Lakes region), South Africa, and Brazil.