metamorphic

Unakite

Unakite: epidote, pink potassium feldspar (orthoclase), and quartz

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness about 6–7 Mohs; mottled green and salmon-pink, usually with a subdued vitreous-to-waxy luster. Its coarse, intergrown mineral grains have no consistent cleavage visible in the polished specimen.

Identified October 13, 2026More metamorphic →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

A metasomatically altered granite in which feldspar was replaced by epidote, commonly associated with hydrothermal fluids. The classic material formed in the Appalachian region during Paleozoic mountain-building; comparable rocks occur elsewhere.

Uses & applications

Used as tumbled stone, beads, cabochons, ornaments, and decorative building stone.

Geological facts

Its distinctive green-and-pink pattern comes mainly from green epidote and pink feldspar, with quartz often present.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by the mottled green and salmon-pink colors and granular texture; it is commonly collected in the Unaka Mountains of the southeastern United States and along some Great Lakes shores. This appears to be a polished, shaped specimen.