Epidote Archives - Cochise College Geology

Epidote

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Chemical Group: Silicate

Chemical Formula: HCa₂(Al,Fe)₃Si₃O₁₃

Color: Pistachio-green, pea soup green, brownish green, greenish black, black, red, gray, grayish white

Transparency: Transparent to opaque

Hardness: 6 to 7 Specific Gravity: 3.25 to 3.5

Cleavage: One direction

Crystal Forms and Habits: Monoclinic system. Crystals are prismatic. Epidote commonly forms as a thin coating along fractures in rocks. Epidote also is commonly found in massive form.

Mineral Associations: A common metamorphic mineral

Identifying Characteristics: Its distinct yellow-green color and massive nature

Uses: When combined with pinkish orange feldspar, as a gemstone (unakite)

USA occurrences:
Alaska: Prince of Wales island
Arizona: Wickenburg, Jerome. Bagdad, Castle Hot Springs, Cave Creek
California: Inyo, Mono, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, and San Diego Counties
Colorado: Idaho Springs
Michigan: Lake Superior region
Montana: Missouri River
New Mexico: Taos, Orogrande, Silver City, Santa Fe
North Carolina: Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Burnsville, Dyartsville
Pennsylvania: Pine Mountain,Adams County
Tennessee: Roan Mountain, Townsend
Texas: Enchanted Rock, Texas Hill Country
Virginia: Royal Front (unakite), Page County, Rose River, Greene, Nelson, Albemarle, and Rockbridge counties

Toxicity: When-swallowed: low When-inhaled: moderate

Additional Information: A stone containing green epidote and salmon-colored feldspar is a gemstone known as unakite. An alternative name for epidote is pistacite (in reference to the color of the pistachio nut).

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Photos

Epidote 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

epidote-dark green crystal-close view-Alaska — Epidote - Dark Green Crystal - Close View - Alaska

epidote-cluster of green crystals — Epidote - Cluster Of Green Crystals

epidote-dark green crystals with quartz-Alaska — Epidote - Dark Green Crystals With Quartz - Alaska

epidote-dark green crystal-Alaska — Epidote - Dark Green Crystal - Alaska

Epidote - Dark Green Crystals - Close View - Alaska

epidote-dark green crystals-Morocco — Epidote - Dark Green Crystals - Morocco

epidote-dark green crystals-Brazil — Epidote - Dark Green Crystals - Brazil

epidote-dark green crystals-Peru — Epidote - Dark Green Crystals - Peru

epidote-green crystals on quartz — Epidote - Green Crystals On Quartz

epidote-light yellow green-massive-Arizona — Epidote - Light Yellow Green – Massive - Arizona

epidote-yellow green coating on fault slickensides-Arizona — Epidote - Yellow Green Coating On Fault Slickensides - Arizona

epidote-yellow green crystalline mass — Epidote - Yellow Green Crystalline Mass

epidote-yellow green coating on diorite-Arizona — Epidote - Yellow Green Coating On Diorite - Arizona

epidote-yellow green-massive — Epidote - Yellow Green - Massive

Epidote - Yellow Green - Massive - Arizona

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