Chrysoprase

Apple-green chalcedony colored by nickel — the most valuable chalcedony variety.

Chrysoprase specimen — Photo: Xth-Floor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify chrysoprase

Bright apple to mint green, translucent.
Even color with a waxy surface.
Scratches glass.

Often confused with

Jadeite
Jade is tougher and slightly heavier; testing often needs a lab.
Compare side by side
Aventurine
Aventurine sparkles with mica flakes.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

Queensland, Australia
Poland
Tanzania

Uses

Cabochons and beads.

Rock tumbling

Great for tumbling. Color can fade with long sun exposure.

Did you know?

Its green comes from nickel, not chromium like emerald.

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