Identification guide · Phosphate Minerals
How to Identify Wavellite
Wavellite is usually green, yellow, and white with a vitreous luster and is translucent. It has a Mohs hardness of 3.75. A steel knife blade (Mohs 5.5) scratches it; a copper coin does not. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Variscite, Brucite, and Pyromorphite; the tests below separate them.
Wavellite identification checklist
| Color | Green, Yellow, White, Brown | 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 | Translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 3.75 | A steel knife blade (Mohs 5.5) scratches it; a copper coin does not. |
| 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 | 2.36 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.36), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
Wavellite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 3.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Wavellite vs Variscite →
Wavellite is harder (Mohs 3.75) than Brucite (Mohs 2.5), so Wavellite will scratch Brucite and not the other way round. A copper coin (Mohs 3.5) scratches it, but a fingernail does not. Wavellite vs Brucite →
Both sit near Mohs 3.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Wavellite vs Pyromorphite →
Both sit near Mohs 3.75, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Field tips
- Look for green to yellow spherical or botryoidal aggregates with a radiating internal structure.
- A broken surface showing a fan-like starburst pattern is nearly diagnostic of wavellite.
- Moderate hardness near 3.75 and occurrence on fracture surfaces support identification.
Wavellite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Wavellite?
Check the color (green, yellow, white, and brown), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 3.75 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Wavellite?
Wavellite has a Mohs hardness of 3.75. A steel knife blade (Mohs 5.5) scratches it; a copper coin does not.
What is the difference between Wavellite and Variscite?
Wavellite (Mohs 3.75, vitreous luster) and Variscite (Mohs 4, waxy luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Wavellite vs Variscite comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Wavellite worth anything?
Entry-level Wavellite specimens sell for around $8, typical collector pieces about $45, and premium examples $250 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Wavellite?
Wavellite is most often green, yellow, white, and brown. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
