Specific Gravity Values of Selected Gems
Measuring specific gravity helps gemologists identify gemstones. The following table lists the specific gravity values for a variety of gem materials.
3 Minute Read
In order to identify gemstones, gemologists often measure their density or specific gravity. The following table lists the specific gravity values for a variety of materials commonly found in gem and jewelry collections, as well as for some materials more rarely encountered.
Table of Specific Gravity Values
| Gemstone | Density |
| Gold | 15.50-19.30 |
| Thorianite | 9.70-9.80 |
| Silver | 9.60-12.00 |
| Algondonite | 8.38 |
| Bismutotantalite | 8.15-8.89 |
| Cinnabar | 8.00-8.20 |
| Stolzite | 7.90-8.34 |
| Niccolite | 7.78 |
| Manganotantalite | 7.73-7.97 |
| Melonite | 7.72 |
| Breithauptite | 7.59-8.23 |
| Stibiotantalite | 7.53 |
| Mimetite | 7.24 |
| Huebnerite | 7.12-7.18 |
| Wolframite | 7.10-7.60 |
| Gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG)* | 7.00-7.09 |
| Cassiterite | 6.70-7.10 |
| Wulfenite | 6.50-7.00 |
| Vanadinite | 6.50-7.10 |
| Cerussite | 6.46-6.57 |
| Cobaltite | 6.33 |
| Anglesite | 6.30-6.39 |
| Phosgenite | 6.13 |
| Simpsonite | 5.92-6.84 |
| Scheelite | 5.90-6.30 |
| Crocoite | 5.90-6.10 |
| Cuprite | 5.85-6.15 |
| Pyrargyrite | 5.85 |
| Yttrotantalite | 5.70 |
| Zincite | 5.66 |
| Proustite | 5.51-5.64 |
| Descloizite | 5.50-6.20 |
| Chalcosite | 5.50-5.80 |
| Cubic zirconia (CZ)* | 5.50-6.00 |
| Millerite | 5.50 |
| Fergusonite | 5.35-5.44 |
| Euxenite | 5.30-5.90 |
| Linarite | 5.30 |
| Senarmontite | 5.20-5.50 |
| Magnetite | 5.20 |
| Aeschynite | 5.19 |
| Tantalite | 5.18-8.20 |
| Hematite | 5.12-5.28 |
| Fabulite (Tausonite) | 5.11-5.15 |
| Bornite | 5.06-5.08 |
| Boleite | 5.05 |
| Samarskite | 5.00-5.69 |
| Pyrite | 5.00-5.20 |
| Monazite | 4.98-5.43 |
| Bixbyite** | 4.93 |
| Marcasite | 4.83-4.92 |
| Greenockite | 4.73-4.79 |
| Psilomelane (Manganese oxide) | 4.70-4.74 |
| Linobate (Lithium niobate)* | 4.64-4.66 |
| Pentlandite | 4.60-5.00 |
| Covellite | 4.60-4.76 |
| Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG)* | 4.55-4.65 |
| Ilmenite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Pyrolusite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Chromite | 4.50-4.80 |
| Davidite | 4.50 |
| Barite | 4.43-4.46 |
| Magnesiochromite | 4.39-4.67 |
| Bayldonite | 4.35 |
| Parisite | 4.33-4.42 |
| Microlite | 4.30-5.70 |
| Adamite | 4.30-4.68 |
| Witherite | 4.27-4.79 |
| Galaxite | 4.23 |
| Powellite | 4.23 |
| Rutile | 4.20-4.30 |
| Spessartite garnet | 4.12-4.18 |
| Shattuckite | 4.11 |
| Chalcopyrite | 4.10-4.30 |
| Wurtzite | 4.09 |
| Brookite | 4.08-4.18 |
| Hancockite | 4.03 |
| Painite | 4.01 |
| Gadolinite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Smithsonite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Gahnite | 4.00-4.62 |
| Legrandite | 3.98-4.04 |
| Ruby | 3.97-4.05 |
| Celestite | 3.97-4.00 |
| Libethenite | 3.97 |
| Ferrosilite | 3.96 |
| Sapphire | 3.95-4.03 |
| Durangite | 3.94-4.07 |
| Zircon | 3.93-4.73 |
| Almandine garnet | 3.93-4.30 |
| Hodgkinsonite | 3.91-3.99 |
| Sphalerite | 3.90-4.10 |
| Willemite | 3.89-4.18 |
| Tephroite | 3.87-4.12 |
| Siderite | 3.83-3.96 |
| Anatase | 3.82-3.97 |
| Goethite | 3.80-4.30 |
| Gaspéite | 3.71 |
| Andradite garnet | 3.70-4.10 |
| Azurite | 3.70-3.90 |
| Periclase | 3.70-3.90 |
| Chrysoberyl (Cat's eye, Alexandrite) | 3.70-3.78 |
| Schorlomite*** | 3.69-3.88 |
| Barytocalcite | 3.66 |
| Staurolite | 3.65-3.77 |
| Benitoite | 3.64-3.68 |
| Strontianite | 3.63-3.79 |
| Pyrope garnet | 3.62-3.87 |
| Pyroxmangite | 3.61-3.80 |
| Holtite | 3.60-3.90 |
| Taafeite | 3.60-3.62 |
| Grossular garnet | 3.56-3.73 |
| Realgar | 3.56 |
| Spinel | 3.54-3.63 |
| Kyanite | 3.53-3.70 |
| Nambulite | 3.53 |
| Sphene (Titanite) | 3.52-3.54 |
| Allanite | 3.50-4.20 |
| Aegirine | 3.50-3.60 |
| Hedenbergite | 3.50-3.56 |
| Diamond | 3.50-3.53 |
| Topaz | 3.49-3.57 |
| Chambersite | 3.49 |
| Sinhalite | 3.46-3.50 |
| Rhodochrosite | 3.45-3.70 |
| Piedmontite | 3.45-3.52 |
| Euchroite | 3.44 |
| Rhodizite | 3.44 |
| Serendibite | 3.42-3.52 |
| Uvarovite garnet | 3.41-3.52 |
| Rhodonite | 3.40-3.74 |
| Lithiophilite | 3.40-3.60 |
| Sapphirine | 3.40-3.58 |
| Aegirine-augite | 3.40-3.55 |
| Hypersthene | 3.40-3.50 |
| Chromdravite | 3.40 |
| Scorzalite | 3.38 |
| Tinzenite | 3.36-3.43 |
| Tanzanite | 3.35 |
| Triphylite | 3.34-3.58 |
| Dickinsonite | 3.34-3.41 |
| Idocrase (Vesuvianite) | 3.32-3.47 |
| Bustamite | 3.32-3.42 |
| Serandite | 3.32 |
| Manganaxinite | 3.31 |
| Epidote | 3.30-3.50 |
| Hemimorphite | 3.30-3.50 |
| Diaspore | 3.30-3.39 |
| Jadeite | 3.30-3.38 |
| Peridot | 3.28-4.39 |
| Dioptase | 3.28-3.35 |
| Ekanite | 3.28-3.32 |
| Jeremejevite | 3.28-3.31 |
| Parascorodite | 3.28-3.29 |
| Forsterite | 3.28 |
| Kornerupine | 3.27-3.45 |
| Dumortierite | 3.26-3.41 |
| Axinite | 3.26-3.36 |
| Povondraite | 3.28 |
| Malachite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Ferroaxinite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Papagoite | 3.25 |
| Smaragdite | 3.24-3.50 |
| Sillimanite | 3.23-3.27 |
| Diopside | 3.22-3.38 |
| Väyrynenite | 3.22 |
| Weloganite | 3.22 |
| Clinozoisite | 3.21-3.28 |
| Helvite | 3.20-3.44 |
| Purpurite | 3.20-3.40 |
| Humite | 3.20-3.32 |
| Enstatite | 3.20-3.30 |
| Neptunite | 3.19-3.23 |
| Clinoenstatite | 3.19 |
| Rinkite | 3.18-3.44 |
| Pumpellyite | 3.18-3.33 |
| Magnesioaxinite | 3.18 |
| Norbergite | 3.18 |
| Chlorapatite | 3.17-3.18 |
| Chondrodite | 3.16-3.26 |
| Apatite | 3.16-3.23 |
| Strass | 3.15-4.20 |
| Zoisite (non-Tanzanite) | 3.15-3.36 |
| Spodumene (Hiddenite, Kunzite) | 3.15-3.21 |
| Hureaulite | 3.15-3.19 |
| Sellaite | 3.15 |
| Clinohumite | 3.13-3.75 |
| Fluorapatite | 3.10-3.25 |
| Moissanite (Carborundum)* | 3.10-3.22 |
| Ludlamite | 3.10-3.20 |
| Euclase | 3.10 |
| Lawsonite | 3.08-3.09 |
| Phosphophyllite | 3.07-3.13 |
| Friedelite | 3.06-3.19 |
| Andalusite | 3.05-3.20 |
| Eosphorite | 3.05-3.08 |
| Pargasite | 3.04-3.17 |
| Lazulite | 3.04-3.14 |
| Actinolite | 3.03-3.44 |
| Spurrite | 3.02 |
| Amblygonite | 3.01-3.11 |
| Fluorite | 3.00-3.25 |
| Meliphanite | 3.00-3.03 |
| Leucophanite | 3.00 |
| Schlossmacherite | 3.00 |
| Chiolite | 2.99-3.01 |
| Montebrasite | 2.98-3.11 |
| Brazilianite | 2.98-2.99 |
| Richterite | 2.97-3.45 |
| Danburite | 2.97-3.03 |
| Ankerite | 2.97 |
| Cryolite | 2.97 |
| Magnesite | 2.96-3.12 |
| Tremolite | 2.95-3.07 |
| Herderite | 2.95-3.02 |
| Phenakite | 2.95-2.97 |
| Boracite | 2.95-2.96 |
| Aragonite | 2.94 |
| Vlasovite | 2.92-2.96 |
| Sarcolite | 2.91-2.96 |
| Hornblende | 2.90-3.40 |
| Nephrite | 2.90-3.03 |
| Datolite | 2.90-3.00 |
| Anhydrite | 2.90-2.98 |
| Prosopite | 2.88-2.89 |
| Hurlbutite | 2.88 |
| Zunyite | 2.87 |
| Wollastonite | 2.86-3.09 |
| Grandidierite | 2.85-3.00 |
| Pollucite | 2.85-2.94 |
| Langbeinite | 2.83 |
| Tourmaline | 2.82-3.90 |
| Prehnite | 2.82-2.94 |
| Wardite | 2.81-2.87 |
| Dolomite | 2.80-2.95 |
| Lepidolite | 2.80-2.90 |
| Beryllonite | 2.80-2.87 |
| Zektzerite | 2.79 |
| Muscovite | 2.78-2.88 |
| Sogdianite | 2.76-2.90 |
| Sugilite | 2.76-2.80 |
| Sekaninaite | 2.76-2.77 |
| Ammolite | 2.75-2.80 |
| Eudialyte | 2.74-2.98 |
| Pectolite (Larimar) | 2.74-2.88 |
| Meionite | 2.74-2.78 |
| Bytownite | 2.72-2.74 |
| Catapleiite | 2.72 |
| Creedite | 2.72 |
| Xonotlite | 2.71-2.72 |
| Canasite | 2.71 |
| Ceruleite | 2.70-2.80 |
| Augelite | 2.70-2.75 |
| Calcite | 2.69-2.71 |
| Aquamarine | 2.68-2.74 |
| Emerald | 2.67-2.78 |
| Precious Beryl**** | 2.66-2.87 |
| Pyrophyllite | 2.65-2.90 |
| Labradorite | 2.65-2.75 |
| Andesine | 2.65-2.69 |
| Quartz (Amethyst, Citrine, Prasiolite, Rock crystal, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz) | 2.65 |
| Vivianite | 2.64-2.70 |
| Aventurine | 2.64-2.69 |
| Kämmererite | 2.64 |
| Oligoclase | 2.62-2.67 |
| Sunstone | 2.62-2.65 |
| Pearl | 2.60-2.85 |
| Coral | 2.60-2.70 |
| Agate | 2.60-2.64 |
| Schaurteite | 2.60 |
| Peristerite | 2.59-2.68 |
| Petrified wood | 2.58-2.91 |
| Jasper | 2.58-2.91 |
| Cordierite | 2.58-2.66 |
| Chalcedony | 2.58-2.64 |
| Chrysoprase | 2.58-2.64 |
| Moss agate | 2.58-2.64 |
| Tiger's eye | 2.58-2.64 |
| Scapolite | 2.57-2.74 |
| Anorthoclase | 2.75-2.60 |
| Moonstone | 2.56-2.59 |
| Amazonite | 2.56-2.58 |
| Orthoclase | 2.56-2.58 |
| Sanidine | 2.56-2.58 |
| Talc | 2.55-2.80 |
| Nepheline | 2.55-2.65 |
| Lizardite | 2.55 |
| Charoite | 2.54-2.78 |
| Microcline | 2.54-2.57 |
| Clinochrysotile | 2.53 |
| Lapis lazuli | 2.50-3.00 |
| Marialite | 2.50-2.62 |
| Milarite | 2.46-2.61 |
| Howlite | 2.45-2.58 |
| Leucite | 2.45-2.50 |
| Carletonite | 2.45 |
| Serpentine | 2.44-2.62 |
| Variscite | 2.42-2.58 |
| Haüyne | 2.40-2.50 |
| Colemanite | 2.40-2.42 |
| Petalite | 2.40 |
| Brucite | 2.39 |
| Tugtupite | 2.36-2.57 |
| Wavellite | 2.36 |
| Obsidian (natural glass) | 2.35-2.60 |
| Hambergite | 2.35 |
| Moldavite (natural glass) | 2.32-2.38 |
| Turquoise | 2.31-2.84 |
| Apophyllite | 2.30-2.50 |
| Thomsonite | 2.23-2.39 |
| Analcime | 2.22-2.29 |
| Palygorskite | 2.21 |
| Cacoxenite | 2.20-2.60 |
| Gypsum | 2.20-2.40 |
| Zeolite (Natrolite, Mesolite, Scolecite) | 2.20-2.29 |
| Whewellite | 2.19-2.25 |
| Yugawaralite | 2.19-2.23 |
| Stichtite | 2.16-2.18 |
| Sodalite | 2.14-2.40 |
| Mordenite | 2.12-2.15 |
| Chabazite | 2.05-2.20 |
| Sulfur | 2.05-2.08 |
| Glass (artificial)* | 2.00-4.50 |
| Chrysocolla | 2.00-2.40 |
| Sepiolite | 2.00-2.10 |
| Gaylussite | 1.99 |
| Opal | 1.88-2.50 |
| Thaumasite | 1.91 |
| Kurnakovite | 1.86 |
| Sturmanite | 1.85 |
| Inderite | 1.78-1.86 |
| Ettringite | 1.77 |
| Ulexite | 1.65-1.95 |
| Mellite | 1.64 |
| Jet | 1.19-1.35 |
| Amber | 1.05-1.09 |
Notes
* Lab-created gem material.
** This is not bixbite, the gemstone better known as red beryl.
*** Non-gem garnet species.
**** Non-aquamarine/non-emerald varieties of beryl.
International Gem Society
Related Articles
Gemology Cheat Sheets
These gemology cheat sheets review gem color and clarity grading, specific information on evaluating diamonds and opals, and basic gem...
Read More
How to Estimate Gem Weight in a Jewelry Setting
Although you can't weigh a gemstone in a jewelry setting, you can get a close approximation of the gem weight...
Read More
Gem Structure Chart
A gem structure chart that shows various information on a specific structure and gems of example. Details include Refractive Indexes,...
Read More
The Mohs Hardness Scale and Chart for Select Gems
The Mohs hardness scale measures a mineral's resistance to scratching. Find the traditional scale here and a chart of select...
Read More
Latest Articles
Peridot Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
The modern August birthstone, peridot has been prized as a jewelry stone since ancient times. Always green in color but...
Read More
Traditional Diamond Cut Grading Methods
Traditional diamond cut grading methods prepare gemologists for making evaluations with minimal time, tools, and references. This step-by-step guide covers...
Read More
Cutting a 294-ct Trilliant Morganite: An Interview with Steve Moriarty
Learn the story behind the 294-ct trilliant morganite cut by Steve Moriarty of Moriarty's Gem Art and watch his gem-cutting...
Read More
Tourmaline Engagement Ring Stones: the Ultimate Guide
Thinking about a tourmaline engagement ring? Learn everything you need to know to buy your perfect gem, from hardness and...
Read More
Never Stop Learning
When you join the IGS community, you get trusted diamond & gemstone information when you need it.
Get Gemology Insights
Get started with the International Gem Society’s free guide to gemstone identification. Join our weekly newsletter & get a free copy of the Gem ID Checklist!