Sugilite is a highly sought-after collector mineral prized for its intense, opaque to translucent royal purple or violet color. It is most commonly found as dense, massive material from South African manganese mines where it forms in hydrothermal environments. Collectors should look for rich, even saturation and minimal black inclusions, which are common impurities.
Is this sugilite?
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 sugilite with a known reference. Sugilite sits at Mohs 6-6.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Sugilite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Sugilite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: purple, violet, pinkish-purple, reddish-purple.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: massive, granular, rarely as small prismatic crystals.
Often confused with
Sugilite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside sugilite
Minerals reported to co-occur with sugilite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- KNa₂Li₃(Fe³⁺,Mn³⁺,Al)₂Si₁₂O₃₀
- Mohs hardness
- 6-6.5
- Density
- 2.74-2.79 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive, Granular, Rarely as Small Prismatic Crystals
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Manganiferous Hydrothermal Veins and Altered Syenites
- Typical price
- $10-100 per gram for gem-grade material, higher for intense uniform color
Where rockhounds find sugilite
Classic worldwide localities
- Wessels Mine (South Africa)
- N'Chwaning Mines (South Africa)
- Iwagi Island (Japan)
- Mont Saint-Hilaire (Canada)
Field-hunting tip
Look in manganiferous hydrothermal veins and altered syenites country — that is the host setting where sugilite typically forms. If you start seeing pectolite, richterite, bustamite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive, granular, rarely as small prismatic crystals habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify sugilite?+
Where is sugilite found?+
How much is sugilite worth?+
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Find sugilite on the map
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