Identification guide · Minerals
How to Identify Amazonite
Amazonite is usually blue-green, turquoise, and green with a vitreous luster and is opaque. It has a Mohs hardness of 6. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Tourmaline, Labradorite, and Kyanite; the tests below separate them.
Amazonite identification checklist
| Color | Blue-Green, Turquoise, Green | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| Transparency | Opaque | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 6 | It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Perfect | |
| Fracture | Uneven | |
| Specific gravity | 2.56 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.56), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
Amazonite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Tourmaline is harder (Mohs 7–7.5) than Amazonite (Mohs 6), so Tourmaline will scratch Amazonite and not the other way round. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Amazonite vs Tourmaline →
Both sit near Mohs 6, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Amazonite vs Labradorite →
Amazonite is harder (Mohs 6) than Kyanite (Mohs 5), so Amazonite will scratch Kyanite and not the other way round. A steel knife blade (Mohs 5.5) scratches it; a copper coin does not. Amazonite vs Kyanite →
Both sit near Mohs 6, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Amazonite examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Amazonite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Amazonite?
Check the color (blue-green, turquoise, and green), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 6 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Amazonite?
Amazonite has a Mohs hardness of 6. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will.
What is the difference between Amazonite and Tourmaline?
Amazonite (Mohs 6, vitreous luster) and Tourmaline (Mohs 7–7.5, vitreous luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Amazonite vs Tourmaline comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Amazonite worth anything?
Entry-level Amazonite specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $25, and premium examples $150 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Amazonite?
Amazonite is most often blue-green, turquoise, and green. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
