RocksdayMorganite vs Spodumene
How to tell them apart
Pink to peach beryl colored by manganese.
Photo: Parent Géry, Public domain
A lithium silicate from granite pegmatites. Pink kunzite and green hiddenite are its gem forms; plain spodumene is a major lithium ore.
Photo: Parent Géry, CC BY-SA 3.0
Key differences
- Kunzite is lilac-pink and splits along two cleavages.
- Morganite is peachier and has no strong cleavage.
Side by side
| Property | Morganite | Spodumene |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5–8 | 6.5–7 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Pink, Orange | Pink, Purple, Green, White |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal | Monoclinic |
| Specific gravity | 2.71–2.9 | 3.1–3.2 |
| Formula | Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ (with Mn) | LiAlSi₂O₆ |
| Found in | Madagascar; Minas Gerais, Brazil | Greenbushes, Western Australia; Afghanistan |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify morganite
- Soft pink or peach, glassy.
- Often tabular, flattened hexagonal crystals.
- Hardness 7.5–8.
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Full Morganite guide →How to identify spodumene
- Flattened, striated prisms, often lilac-pink.
- Two cleavages at nearly 90° — splits easily.
- Color looks deepest down the length of the crystal.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Spodumene guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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