Spodumene is a pyroxene mineral that occurs in transparent, gem-quality varieties known as Kunzite (pink/violet) and Hiddenite (green). Collectors should look for its characteristic vertical striations along the prism faces and perfect cleavage that makes it fragile to handle.
Is this spodumene?
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 spodumene with a known reference. Spodumene sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous, pearly on cleavage.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: colorless, white, gray, yellow, pink, green, violet, grayish white, emerald green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic, tabular, often vertically striated.
Often confused with
Spodumene vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside spodumene
Minerals reported to co-occur with spodumene. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- LiAlSi₂O₆
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 3.03-3.23 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous, pearly on cleavage
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, tabular, often vertically striated
- Cleavage
- Good on {110}, (110) ^ (110) ~87°; {100}, {010} partings
- Fluorescence
- Orange under SW UV for kunzite
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Gemstone, Lithium source, Collector
- Host rock
- A common constituent of lithium-rich granite pegmatites; in aplites and gneisses
Where rockhounds find spodumene
14 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Etta mine, near Keystone, Pennington Co., in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA
- Hiddenite, Alexander Co. and in the Foote mine, Kings Mountain, Cleveland Co., North Carolina, USA
- Pala district, San Diego Co., California, USA
- Harding mine, Dixon, Taos Co., New Mexico, USA
- Utö, Södermanland, and in the Varuträsk pegmatite, 15 km northwest of Skellefteå, Västerbotten, Sweden
- Kuortane, and in the Tammela district, Finland
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: A common constituent of lithium-rich granite pegmatites; in aplites and gneisses. If you start seeing quartz, albite, petalite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: prismatic, tabular, often vertically striated. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Maine, North Carolina, Connecticut. Start trip planning there.
More spodumene photos
Common questions
How do you identify spodumene?+
Where is spodumene found?+
Can I find spodumene in the United States?+
What rocks look like spodumene?+
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Find spodumene on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
