The facts
What actinolite actually is
Actinolite is classified as actinolite (amphibole group), with the composition Ca₂(Mg,Fe²⁺)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from fe²⁺, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.614–1.655. Specific gravity around 3.00–3.20. Cleavage: perfect {110} — two directions at about 56°/124°. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where actinolite comes from
Actinolite is produced at Taiwan (cat's eye material), Zillertal, Tyrol, Austria and Ontario, Canada.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How actinolite is treated
Untreated. Transparent facetable crystals are rare and fragile; the commercially significant forms are cat's eye cabochons and the massive nephrite variety. Asbestiform actinolite is a regulated material and is never cut.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What actinolite is confused with
In the trade actinolite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Nephrite, Diopside, Epidote or Green tourmaline.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.614–1.655 and specific gravity 3.00–3.20 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What actinolite is used for
Demand for actinolite comes from mineral collecting, jewellery and carving and sculpture, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen, by the carat or by the block.
Durability and care
Actinolite is 5–6 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {110} — two directions at about 56°/124° cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What actinolite costs
As a guide, actinolite trades around $5–60/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is actinolite treated, and how?
Untreated. Transparent facetable crystals are rare and fragile; the commercially significant forms are cat's eye cabochons and the massive nephrite variety. Asbestiform actinolite is a regulated material and is never cut.
Where does actinolite come from?
Taiwan (cat's eye material), Zillertal, Tyrol, Austria and Ontario, Canada. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is actinolite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5–6 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does actinolite cost?
Indicatively $5–60/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is actinolite confused with?
Most often Nephrite, Diopside, Epidote and Green tourmaline. A refractive index of 1.614–1.655 and a specific gravity near 3.00–3.20 separate it quickly.
What is actinolite used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting and carving and sculpture. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for actinolite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about actinolite