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
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
Ring Size Comparison Chart
Ring Size Comparison Chart compliments of the International Gem Society. A conversion table of Ring sizes. 7 different ring size...
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
Birthstone Chart
What are the birthstones by month? January is garnet, February is amethyst, March is aquamarine, April is diamond, May is...
Read More
Latest Articles
Celebrity Engagement Rings
What stones are the trendsetters using to pop the question? Take a look at the diamonds and colored gems in...
Read More
Ruby and Sapphire Grading Tools
What ruby and sapphire grading tools does a novice gemologist need? Learn how basic gemological equipment can help you identify...
Read More
Cerussite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
As beautiful as a diamond, a faceted cerussite actually has higher dispersion and usually excellent transparency, colorless or light body...
Read More
Ouro Verde Quartz: History and Treatment
Ouro Verde quartz, also known as lemon quartz, is a popular treated stone. Learn how experiments with other gems led...
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!