RocksdayChrysoprase vs Variscite
How to tell them apart
Apple-green chalcedony colored by nickel — the most valuable chalcedony variety.
Photo: Xth-Floor, CC BY-SA 3.0
An apple-green aluminum phosphate found as nodules and veins, cut like turquoise.
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY 3.0
Quick tests
- Scratch glass: Chrysoprase scratches glass (Mohs 6.5–7); Variscite can't (Mohs 3.5–4.5).
Key differences
- Chrysoprase is harder and translucent.
Side by side
| Property | Chrysoprase | Variscite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5–7 | 3.5–4.5 |
| Luster | Waxy | Waxy to vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Green | Green |
| Crystal system | Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) | Orthorhombic |
| Specific gravity | 2.58–2.64 | 2.57–2.61 |
| Formula | SiO₂ | AlPO₄·2H₂O |
| Found in | Queensland, Australia; Poland | Fairfield, Utah; Nevada |
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 variscite
- Apple to mint green, waxy and opaque.
- Nodules with yellow and brown rims in Utah material.
- Softer than jade.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Full Variscite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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