metamorphic
Unakite
Altered Granite (composed of epidote, pink orthoclase feldspar, and quartz)
Hardness: 6 - 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled green (epidote) and pink (orthoclase feldspar) with minor clear/grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Cleavage: Indistinct. Specific gravity: 2.85 - 3.20.
- 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 minor clear/grey quartz. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Cleavage: Indistinct. Specific gravity: 2.85 - 3.20.
Formation & geological history
Formed through hydrothermal metamorphism of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is transformed into epidote by iron-bearing fluids.
Uses & applications
Used widely as a decorative stone, lapidary material for cabochons, beads, carvings, and landscape stonework.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, USA, from which it derives its name.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its distinctive blotchy combination of pistachio-green epidote and salmon-pink orthoclase feldspar. Common in Virginia, North Carolina, and around Lake Superior.
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