RocksdayChrysoprase vs Prehnite
How to tell them apart
Apple-green chalcedony colored by nickel — the most valuable chalcedony variety.
Photo: Xth-Floor, CC BY-SA 3.0
A pale green silicate that forms bubbly, translucent crusts, often with black epidote needles.
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Key differences
- Chrysoprase is more vivid green and waxy.
Side by side
| Property | Chrysoprase | Prehnite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5–7 | 6–6.5 |
| Luster | Waxy | Vitreous to pearly |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Green | Green, Yellow, White |
| Crystal system | Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) | Orthorhombic |
| Specific gravity | 2.58–2.64 | 2.8–2.95 |
| Formula | SiO₂ | Ca₂Al(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂ |
| Found in | Queensland, Australia; Poland | Wave Hill, Australia; Kayes, Mali |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify chrysoprase
- Bright apple to mint green, translucent.
- Even color with a waxy surface.
- Scratches glass.
Crystal system: Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony)
Full Chrysoprase guide →How to identify prehnite
- Pale apple-green to yellowish, translucent.
- Bubbly, rounded crusts or bow-tie aggregates.
- Hardness about 6.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Full Prehnite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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