Identification guide · Metamorphic Rocks
How to Identify Unakite
Unakite is usually pink and green mottled, salmon, and olive green with a vitreous luster and is opaque. It has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is variable; test individual minerals. It is most often confused with Feldspar, Eclogite, and Elbaite; the tests below separate them.
Unakite identification checklist
| Color | Pink and Green mottled, Salmon, Olive 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 | 6.5 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | Variable; test individual minerals | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Variable by mineral grains | |
| Fracture | Uneven | |
| Specific gravity | 2.9 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.9), similar to quartz. |
Unakite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Unakite vs Feldspar →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Unakite vs Eclogite →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Unakite vs Elbaite →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Unakite vs Epidote →
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Unakite examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Unakite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Unakite?
Check the color (pink and green mottled, salmon, and olive green), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 6.5 and a variable; test individual minerals streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Unakite?
Unakite has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Unakite and Feldspar?
Unakite (Mohs 6.5, vitreous luster) and Feldspar (Mohs 6–6.5, vitreous to pearly luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Unakite vs Feldspar comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Unakite worth anything?
Entry-level Unakite specimens sell for around $2, typical collector pieces about $10, and premium examples $50 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Unakite?
Unakite is most often pink and green mottled, salmon, and olive green. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
