Zirconium silicate and the oldest known mineral on Earth 4.4 billion years . Important gemstone and source of zirconium. Color: Brown, red, yellow, blue, colorless. Luster: Adamantine to vitreous. Streak: White. Cleavage: Poor. Hardness: 7.5. Transparency: Transparent to opaque. Crystal system: Tetragonal. Chemical formula: ZrSiO₄. Specific gravity: 4.6-4.7. Formation: Crystallizes from silica-rich magmas; extremely resistant to weathering and chemical alteration. Common geological settings: Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Cambodia; found in granites, syenites, and as detrital grains in sediments. Common look-alikes and related entries: Diamond, Spessartine, Titanite.
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
2026-03-30T14:36:55.98406+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.
Zirconium silicate and the oldest known mineral on Earth 4.4 billion years . Important gemstone and source of zirconium.
How can you identify Zircon?
Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: Brown, red, yellow, blue, colorless; lustre: Adamantine to vitreous; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 7.5; cleavage: Poor; crystal system: Tetragonal; transparency: Transparent to opaque. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.
How does Zircon form?
Crystallizes from silica-rich magmas; extremely resistant to weathering and chemical alteration.
Where is Zircon commonly found?
Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Cambodia; found in granites, syenites, and as detrital grains in sediments.
What is Zircon commonly confused with?
Zircon may be confused with Diamond, Spessartine, Titanite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.
JavaScript is loading the interactive GeoMiner experience. The identification tools provide educational candidates, not laboratory confirmation.
