metamorphic
Unakite (Epidote-Granite)
Unakite (altered granite containing epidote, orthoclase, and quartz)
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Mottled green, pink, and gray; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic/Granular; Cleavage: None (fractures); Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.2
- Hardness
- 6-7 Mohs
- Color
- Mottled green, pink, and gray
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Mottled green, pink, and gray; Luster: Vitreous to dull; Crystal structure: Phaneritic/Granular; Cleavage: None (fractures); Specific Gravity: 2.85-3.2
Formation & geological history
Formed through the hydrothermal metamorphism of granite, where plagioclase feldspar is replaced by green epidote. Most specimens date from the Proterozoic eon.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as a decorative stone, for cabochons in jewelry, architectural floor tiles, and as a popular lapidary material for carving figurines.
Geological facts
Unakite was first discovered in the Unaka Range of the Appalachian Mountains in the United States, which is how it got its name.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its unique pistachio-green and salmon-pink mottled appearance. It is commonly found in riverbeds as water-worn pebbles in Virginia and North Carolina, and as glacial till in the Great Lakes region.
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