Scapolite is a group of silicate minerals most commonly found in contact metamorphic rocks like skarn. Collectors should look for its characteristic tetragonal prismatic crystal habit and frequent bright fluorescence under UV light, which helps distinguish it from common feldspars.
Is this scapolite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch scapolite with a known reference. Scapolite sits at Mohs 5.5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Scapolite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Scapolite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, gray, yellow, pink, violet, blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, massive, granular.
Often confused with
Scapolite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside scapolite
Minerals reported to co-occur with scapolite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na₄Al₃Si₉O₂₄Cl to Ca₄Al₆Si₆O₂₄(CO₃)
- Mohs hardness
- 5.5-6
- Density
- 2.5-2.8 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Massive, Granular
- Cleavage
- Distinct in Two Directions
- Fluorescence
- Often Fluorescent Yellow, Orange, Or Pink Under UV Light
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Gemstone, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks Like Skarns, Marbles, And Gneisses
- Typical price
- $5-30 thumbnail, $50-500 fine faceted gems or large clusters
Where rockhounds find scapolite
3 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Quebec, Canada
- Tanzania
- Myanmar
- Madagascar
- Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks like skarns, marbles, and gneisses country — that is the host setting where scapolite typically forms. If you start seeing diopside, garnet, amphibole in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, massive, granular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New York, Massachusetts — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find scapolite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
