Mother of Pearl
Organic gem made of aragonite, calcite
Common · CaCO₃ (aragonite) with conchiolin
The iridescent lining of mollusc shells: nacre, made of hexagonal platelets of aragonite about as thick as a wavelength of light, which is why every angle throws a different colour. It is the substance pearls are made of, taken from the shell itself.
Identity
- Formula
- CaCO₃ (aragonite) with conchiolin
- Chemical class
- Carbonate
- Also known as
- Nacre
- Used in alchemy
- Mother of Pearl Vial
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Habits
- Foliated
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 2.7 g/cm³
- Luster
- Pearly
- Colors
- white, gray, silver, golden yellow, blue-green, pink, black
- Streak
- white
- Transparency
- Opaque
Geology
- Origins
- Sedimentary
- Host rocks
- Limestone and chalk, River gravels and sands
- Associated minerals
- Aragonite, Calcite, Pearl
- Geography
- worldwide
Classification
- Rarity
- Common
- Gem quality
- Yes
Arcane properties
- Affinity
- Water, Illusion
- Effects
- Illusion
- Planar origin
- Material Plane
Sources
- Mother of Pearl. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- Mother of Pearl. Gemdat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
Browse the Crystal Encyclopedia — MGS Toolbox