Augelite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

AUGELITE: California (~1.5,rough ½ inch across). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Augelite is soft and brittle, unsuited for wear. However, the gems cut from rare transparent crystals are true collector items and are seen only in very complete collections.

Augelite Value

The International Gem Society (IGS) has a list of businesses offering gemstone appraisal services.

Information

DataValue
NameAugelite
Crystallography  Monoclinic. Crystals tabular and thick; prismatic; acicular. Also massive.
Refractive Index 1.570-1.590
Colors White, yellowish, pale blue, pale rose.
Luster Vitreous. Pearly on cleavage surfaces.
Fracture Uneven
Hardness 4.5-5
Specific Gravity 2.696-2.75
Birefringence 0.014-0.020
Cleavage Perfect 1 direction, good 1 direction
Dispersion None.
Stone SizesMost gems in existence form the California material are less than 1 carat up to about 3 carats. Larger stones are exceedingly rare in the case of what is already a rare mineral.
Luminescence None
Absorption Spectrum Not diagnostic.
FormulaAl2PO4(OH)3
Pleochroism None
Optics α = 1.574; β = 1.576; γ = 1.588. White Mountain, California, material: α= 1.570; β = 1.574; γ = 1.590. Biaxial (+), 2V ~ 50°.

Optics: α= 1.574; β = 1.576; γ = 1.588

White Mountain, California, material: α= 1.570; β = 1.574; γ = 1.590

Biaxial (+), 2V ~50°

Occurrence: Crystals from the Champion Mine, Mono County, California, reach a size of about one inch; this locality is now depleted. It furnished cuttable gem material. Masses occur at Keystone, South Dakota (nongem). Palermo Mine, New Hampshire. Potosi, Bolivia: In crystals. Sweden: massive Uganda.

Comments: Augelite is soft and brittle, unsuited for wear. However, the gems cut from rare transparent crystals are true collector items and are seen only in very complete collections.

Name: From a Greek word meaning Luster, because of the glassy appearance of the mineral.