Hiddenite
Variety of spodumene
Very Rare · LiAlSi₂O₆
The green gem variety of spodumene, coloured by chromium. Extremely rare in facetable quality. Found in 1879 in Alexander County, North Carolina, and named after its discoverer, Hidden. The green made by irradiating kunzite fades within hours in light, which tells it apart.
Identity
- Formula
- LiAlSi₂O₆
- Chemical class
- Silicate
- Mineral group
- Aegirine, Diopside, Enstatite, Jade, Jadeite, Kunzite
- Also known as
- Green spodumene, Lithia emerald (misnomer)
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Habits
- Prismatic, Tabular
- Fracture
- Subconchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 3.18 g/cm³
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Colors
- green, yellow-green, pale green
- Streak
- white
- Transparency
- Transparent
Geology
- Origins
- Igneous
- Host rocks
- Granite
- Associated minerals
- Quartz, Albite, Beryl, lepidolite
- Found in
- Pegmatite deposit
- Geography
- USA (North Carolina), Sri Lanka
Classification
- Rarity
- Very Rare
- Gem quality
- Yes
Sources
- Hiddenite. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- Hiddenite. Gemdat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- Kunzite. Gemdat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Spodumene. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
- Spodumene. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- M. Pasero and others, IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, The New IMA List of Minerals, updated September 2026. International Mineralogical Association (CNMNC), 2026.
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