Vesuvianite often forms striking, vertically striated prismatic crystals in skarn environments. It is highly valued by collectors for its wide range of colors and distinct tetragonal crystal structure, appearing commonly in green, brown, or yellow shades.
Is this vesuvianite?
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 vesuvianite with a known reference. Vesuvianite sits at Mohs 6.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Vesuvianite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Vesuvianite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, brown, yellow, blue, red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals, granular, massive.
Often confused with
Vesuvianite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside vesuvianite
Minerals reported to co-occur with vesuvianite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₁₀Mg₂Al₄(Si₂O₇)₂(SiO₄)₅(OH)₄
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5
- Density
- 3.3-3.5 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals, Granular, Massive
- Cleavage
- Poor
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Ornamental
- Host rock
- Metamorphosed Limestone and Skarn Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 per specimen
Where rockhounds find vesuvianite
3 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Mount Vesuvius, Italy
- Jeffrey Mine, Quebec, Canada
- Eden Mills, Vermont, USA
- San Benito County, California, USA
- Ala Valley, Italy
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphosed limestone and skarn deposits country — that is the host setting where vesuvianite typically forms. If you start seeing garnet, diopside, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals, granular, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California, Utah, Vermont — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find vesuvianite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
