Chrysoprase
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Jsj1771&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Jsj1771 (page does not exist)">James St. John</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameChrysoprase
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness6.5
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lusterwaxy
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.6
Colorsgreen, apple-green, yellowish-green
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalityAustralia
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, ornamental stone, collector
Associated Mineralsserpentine, magnesite, talc, garnierite
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen is a vibrant apple-green, irregularly shaped piece of chrysoprase, displaying a waxy luster and some lighter, more translucent areas within its cryptocrystalline structure.
Geological Context
Chrysoprase is a nickel-rich variety of chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz) that forms in weathered serpentinites and other ultramafic rocks, often as veins and nodules. Its distinctive green color is attributed to trace amounts of nickel.
