The most common pyroxene mineral, forming dark stubby prismatic crystals with near-90° cleavage intersection. Color: Black, dark green, brown. Luster: Vitreous to dull. Streak: Greenish gray. Cleavage: Good in two directions at 87° and 93°. Hardness: 5-6. Transparency: Translucent to opaque. Crystal system: Monoclinic. Chemical formula: Ca,Na Mg,Fe,Al Si,Al ₂O₆. Specific gravity: 3.2-3.6. Formation: Crystallizes from mafic to intermediate magmas in basalts, gabbros, and andesites. Common geological settings: Worldwide; essential mineral in basalt, gabbro, and many mafic igneous rocks. Common look-alikes and related entries: Hornblende, Diopside, Hypersthene.
These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.
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GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T14:36:46.372876+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.
The most common pyroxene mineral, forming dark stubby prismatic crystals with near-90° cleavage intersection.
How can you identify Augite?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Black, dark green, brown; lustre: Vitreous to dull; streak: Greenish gray; Mohs hardness: 5-6; cleavage: Good in two directions at 87° and 93°; crystal system: Monoclinic; transparency: Translucent to opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Augite form?
Crystallizes from mafic to intermediate magmas in basalts, gabbros, and andesites.
Where is Augite commonly found?
Worldwide; essential mineral in basalt, gabbro, and many mafic igneous rocks.
What is Augite commonly confused with?
Augite may be confused with Hornblende, Diopside, Hypersthene. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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