RocksdayEpidote vs Unakite
How to tell them apart
A pistachio-green metamorphic mineral. Mixed with pink feldspar it forms the popular stone 'unakite'.
Photo: Gleb Korovko, CC BY 4.0
An altered granite of pink feldspar, pistachio-green epidote and clear quartz.
Photo: Tom Harpel from Seattle, Washington, United States, CC BY 2.0
Quick tests
- Texture: Unakite is a rock — a mix of grains or minerals; Epidote is a single mineral.
Key differences
- Epidote is the green mineral alone.
Side by side
| Property | Epidote | Unakite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Metamorphic rock |
| Mohs hardness | 6–7 | 6–7 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Granular |
| Streak | Gray to white | — |
| Colors | Green, Black | Pink, Green |
| Crystal system / structure | Monoclinic | Altered granite |
| Specific gravity | 3.3–3.6 | 2.8–3.2 |
| Formula | Ca₂(Al₂Fe)(SiO₄)(Si₂O₇)O(OH) | — |
| Found in | Prince of Wales Island, Alaska; Knappenwand, Austria | Unaka Mountains, North Carolina–Tennessee; Virginia |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify epidote
- Distinctive pistachio to dark green.
- Striated prisms.
- Hardness 6–7.
- Commonly fills cracks in altered rocks.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Epidote guide →How to identify unakite
- Mottled pink and green.
- Granite-like texture.
- Hard; takes a good polish.
Structure: Altered granite
Full Unakite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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