Unakite
Unakite – natural stone
Unakite is a mineral that is a variety of jasper. Its name comes from the place of its discovery – the Unaka Mountains in the USA. In addition to the mentioned country, jasper deposits can also be found in Brazil, South Africa, China, India, or Australia. Interestingly, natural unakite can be found both in mountains and river valleys. The unakite mineral consists of other minerals such as epidote, quartz, pink feldspar, and sometimes nephrite. It usually has a granular structure, with clearly visible inclusions of pink and green crystals. The hardness of unakite on the Mohs scale is 6.5 – 7, while the density is 2.58 – 2.91 g/cm³. Very often, we find in unakite stones inclusions of other minerals such as magnetite, apatite, zircon, or chromite. Characteristic features of unakite include a pearly or silky luster.
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Unakite – color
Unakite stone occurs in a very wide range of colors – from yellow, browns, and grays to greens, pinks, and reds. The color of unakite is determined by the minerals it is composed of, so:
- the green color is due to epidote in unakite stones
- the pink color is due to the presence of feldspar
- the gray color is present due to the occurrence of quartz
- the light green color on the surface of the stones is due to nephrite.
On unakite stones, we can often observe veins and spots that create very interesting patterns.
Unakite – uses
Unakite is a semi-precious stone used both as a decorative stone and a jewelry stone. Very often, unakite is used in artistic craftsmanship and in interior decoration, e.g., in creating tiles, furniture, sculptures, or other decorative items. Due to its unique appearance, unakite stones are also sought after as collector’s items. Above all, however, natural unakite is used to create unique jewelry, such as bracelets or necklaces. Unakite jewelry looks beautiful when combined with other natural stones such as mountain crystal, citrine, or obsidian. Our jewelry stone store offers unakite cabochons in various sizes.
