Apple-green variety of chalcedony colored by nickel. One of the most valued chalcedony varieties used in jewelry. Color: Apple green to deep green. Luster: Waxy to vitreous. Streak: White. Cleavage: None. Hardness: 6.5-7. Transparency: Translucent. Crystal system: Hexagonal Trigonal. Chemical formula: SiO₂. Specific gravity: 2.58-2.64. Formation: Forms from silica-rich groundwater percolating through weathered nickel-bearing serpentinites. Common geological settings: Australia, Tanzania, Poland, Brazil; found in weathered nickel-bearing ultramafic rocks. Common look-alikes and related entries: Jade, Prehnite, Variscite.
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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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Last updated
2026-03-30T14:37:11.265995+00:00
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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.
Apple-green variety of chalcedony colored by nickel. One of the most valued chalcedony varieties used in jewelry.
How can you identify Chrysoprase?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Apple green to deep green; lustre: Waxy to vitreous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 6.5-7; cleavage: None; crystal system: Hexagonal Trigonal; transparency: Translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Chrysoprase form?
Forms from silica-rich groundwater percolating through weathered nickel-bearing serpentinites.
Where is Chrysoprase commonly found?
Australia, Tanzania, Poland, Brazil; found in weathered nickel-bearing ultramafic rocks.
What is Chrysoprase commonly confused with?
Chrysoprase may be confused with Jade, Prehnite, Variscite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
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