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UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Rock / mineral aggregate · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Unakite
Also known asUnakite jasper (not to be used as a name)
An altered rock made of Epidote, pink feldspar and Quartz. It is not Jasper, and the main product name must not be written as "Unakite Jasper". This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Unakite forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- Unakite in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing UnakiteThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define UnakiteWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Unakite is a commercial/rock-type name, not a mineral species. By common commercial description it is a polymineralic rock dominated by epidote plus feldspar (commonly pink potassium feldspar) and quartz, hence an aggregate/rock rather than a single mineral. The available authority sources give only general facts about its constituent minerals: the feldspar group are major rock-forming minerals (with potassium feldspar KAlSi3O8 and albite NaAlSi3O8 end members), and epidote is a common silicate mineral (CIBJO lists Epidote as a natural gem material). The cited sources do not specifically address the genesis of unakite, so a 'formed from altered granitic rock' account is an inference (evidence C) and remains a source gap; its green-and-pink colour corresponds to the proportions and distribution of the epidote and feldspar components.
Scope: Defines unakite as a polymineralic rock/trade material name for epidote + feldspar + quartz; does not constitute a quantitative conclusion about a dedicated formation environment or locality, and the composition of commercial material sold under the same name is variable.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
Where it forms
Feldspar's common setting: a major rock-forming mineral of the crust, found in plutonic and metamorphic rocks (source-supported).
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
(Inferred) an altered/metamorphic rock setting in which epidote coexists with feldspar and quartz — no dedicated source has been found, graded C.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
How it forms, step by step
Feldspar (potassium feldspar/albite) and quartz crystallise as major rock-forming minerals in a plutonic or metamorphic setting.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
(Inferred) later alteration or metamorphism generates epidote (epidote group), which coexists with feldspar and quartz.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
(Inferred) the result is a polymineralic rock of epidote + feldspar + quartz, commercially called unakite.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
Link to appearance
Green comes from epidote, pink from feldspar (commonly potassium feldspar), and white/colourless from quartz; the appearance is a combined colour pattern of a polymineralic rock and cannot establish species, origin or treatment.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
Timescale
The cited sources give no absolute timescale for unakite's formation or alteration.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
Related base materials
- Epidote (sorosilicate): Characteristic green component mineral (listed by CIBJO as a natural gem mineral)
- Feldspar (commonly pink potassium feldspar): Main rock-forming mineral component
- Quartz (SiO2): Main rock-forming mineral component
Supporting findings
The feldspar group are major rock-forming minerals of the crust (with potassium feldspar KAlSi3O8 and albite NaAlSi3O8 end members) and epidote is a common silicate mineral (CIBJO lists it as natural gem material); on this basis unakite is understood as an epidote-feldspar-quartz rock, but a 'formed from altered granitic rock' genesis is an inference.
Evidence grade CScope: Constituent-mineral occurrence facts are general and authority-backed, but unakite's specific genesis is unsourced, hence C.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
Other research findings
Unakite is a polymineralic rock typically composed of epidote + feldspar (commonly pink potassium feldspar) + quartz, not an independent mineral species.
Evidence grade CScope: Inferred from general facts about the constituent minerals and the aggregate definition; no dedicated source, hence grade C.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · G&G Summer 2024 · G&G Winter 2022
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
- Gem-Quality Anorthoclase Feldspar from Southeast Vietnam (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2024, Vol. 60, No. 2)
- Fluorescence Characteristics of Two Copper-Diffused Plagioclase Feldspars: Labradorite and Andesine (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2022, Vol. 58, No. 4)
Unakite is a rock/commercial material name, not a mineral species; same-named market material may differ in composition and colour proportions.
Evidence grade CScope: A classification statement; no dedicated source, and the commercial name lacks a unified definition.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Overall, unakite is a polymineralic rock/commercial material name of epidote + feldspar (commonly pink potassium feldspar) + quartz; its genesis and locality lack a dedicated authority source, and this record gives only the compositional definition and general supporting facts.
Evidence grade CScope: A multi-source summary (with inference); genesis/locality are unsourced and must not be treated as a quantitative conclusion.
Sources G&G Summer 2024 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- The cited sources do not specifically address unakite; its composition (epidote + pink feldspar + quartz) and an 'altered granitic rock' genesis are supported only by general facts about the constituent minerals, and its formation/locality are grade-C inferences.
- Unakite is a commercial/rock-type name, not a mineral species; there is no unified authority definition and same-named commercial material may vary.
- Deposit-specific locality and absolute age/duration for this material are lacking.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Unakite
GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.1 b) · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.252 “Unakite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Unakite" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Unakite" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
- Suggested listing name
- Unakite
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
For Unakite, "Unakite" is recorded with no restriction on use as a name, while "Unakite jasper" must not be used as a name (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.252 “Unakite”; CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.119 “Jasper”; 16 CFR Part 23 §23.25(a)).
Names in four languagesUnakite has Simplified and Traditional Chinese names, the English name Unakite and a Japanese name; the Japanese name is the entry's own, and the wording of Japan's GSJ for it is not yet verified. Trade and mineralogical namesUnakite is a trade name, not a mineralogical species name; the English market name is Unakite, and the mineralogical name refers to a rock made up of epidote, pink feldspar and quartz. Standard and listing namesUnder GB/T 16552—2017, Unakite is not included in Annex A, and mineral, rock and material names not in Annex A can be used directly for naming, so Unakite can be used directly as a name; the suggested listing name is Unakite. Institution usageCIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 lists it as Unakite; the FTC text on file has no wording for this name (checked); GIA and Gem-A are unchecked. Sub-names and unacceptable namesUnakite jasper is an unusable name, kept only as a misuse search term, and the main product name must not be written Unakite Jasper; bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (1) | ||||
| UnakiteEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| not to be used as a name (1) | ||||
| Unakite jasperEnglish | market name | matched automatically | not to be used as a name | CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.252 “Unakite”; CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.119 “Jasper”; 16 CFR Part 23 §23.25(a); Note: Kept only as a search term for the misuse. |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- ユナカイト (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Mineral / material name (not in GB/T 16552 Annex A; usable directly)
- 尤纳卡石 (GB/T 16552—2017 §5.1.1 b))
- Mineralogical name
- Rock of epidote, pink feldspar and quartz
- Trade names and synonyms
- Not to be used as a name: Unakite jasper (market name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 尤纳卡石
- 繁體中文
- 尤納卡石
- English
- Unakite
- 日本語
- ユナカイト
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Rocks and polymineral aggregates
- Identity tier
- Rock / mineral aggregate
- Mineral chemical class
- Mixed / composition-dependent
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
What it is and how it's identified
Among the registered material facts for Unakite, the optical item body colour is a mix of green epidote, pink orthoclase and colourless transparent quartz, treatment state untreated. This site's qualifying note points out that in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions for entries such as watermelon tourmaline, tourmaline and aventurine also mention green or a greenish tint. The source is the Unakite entry in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Optical
Unakite — body colour: a mix of green epidote, pink orthoclase and clear quartz.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Watermelon Tourmaline, Tourmaline, Aventurine Quartz and other entries also name green or a greenish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Unakite has a direct definition in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the term Unakite; the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 characterises Unakite as a rock, and the CIBJO wording is quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page. The cross-check result is that it is defined directly by CIBJO, and no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex.
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| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unakite | 7.2.1.252 | altered granite, principally composed of green epidote, pink orthoclase and clear quartz | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
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| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Rocks and polymineral aggregates | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Unakite entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.