Identification guide · Minerals
How to Identify Selenite
Selenite is usually colorless, white, and peach with a vitreous luster and is transparent. It has a Mohs hardness of 2. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Anhydrite, Gypsum, and Alabaster; the tests below separate them.
Selenite identification checklist
| Color | Colorless, White, Peach, Gray | 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 | Transparent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 2 | A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Perfect | |
| Fracture | Fibrous | |
| Specific gravity | 2.3 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.3), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
Selenite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Anhydrite is harder (Mohs 3–3.5) than Selenite (Mohs 2), so Anhydrite will scratch Selenite and not the other way round. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. Selenite vs Anhydrite →
Both sit near Mohs 2, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Selenite vs Gypsum →
Both sit near Mohs 2, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Selenite vs Alabaster →
Both sit near Mohs 2, 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 Selenite examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Selenite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Selenite?
Check the color (colorless, white, peach, and gray), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 2 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Selenite?
Selenite has a Mohs hardness of 2. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily.
What is the difference between Selenite and Anhydrite?
Selenite (Mohs 2, vitreous luster) and Anhydrite (Mohs 3–3.5, vitreous, pearly on cleavage surfaces luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Selenite vs Anhydrite comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Selenite worth anything?
Entry-level Selenite specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $20, and premium examples $150 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Selenite?
Selenite is most often colorless, white, peach, and gray. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
