Hypersthene identification and geology

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Sources, scope & corrections

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.

Editorial owner

GeoMiner

Last updated

2026-03-30T14:36:47.043165+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.

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Common questions

What is Hypersthene?

Iron-bearing orthopyroxene with a distinctive coppery-red metallic sheen schiller . Common in mafic igneous rocks.

How can you identify Hypersthene?

Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Dark brown to greenish black; lustre: Vitreous to submetallic; streak: Gray to brownish; Mohs hardness: 5-6; cleavage: Good in two directions at 88°; crystal system: Orthorhombic; transparency: Translucent to opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.

How does Hypersthene form?

Crystallizes from mafic to intermediate magmas; common in norites and some andesites.

Where is Hypersthene commonly found?

Labrador, Norway, India, Germany; found in norites and charnockites.

What is Hypersthene commonly confused with?

Hypersthene may be confused with Augite, Enstatite, Hornblende. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.