The facts
What augelite actually is
Augelite is classified as augelite, with the composition Al₂(PO₄)(OH)₃. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from colourless to pale yellow, greenish or rose; impurity-driven and usually faint, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.574–1.588. Specific gravity around 2.70. Cleavage: perfect {110}, distinct {201}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where augelite comes from
Augelite is produced at Mundo Nuevo Mine, Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru, Rapid Creek, Yukon, Canada, Champion Mine, Mono County, California, USA and Westanå, Sweden (type locality).
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 augelite is treated
Untreated. The Peruvian Mundo Nuevo find produced the first significant facetable augelite; before that the species was known only as small crystals. Soft with good cleavage, so it is a display stone.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What augelite is confused with
In the trade augelite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Quartz, Beryllonite, Danburite or Apatite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.574–1.588 and specific gravity 2.70 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What augelite is used for
Demand for augelite comes from mineral collecting, 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.
Durability and care
Augelite is 4.5–5 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {110}, distinct {201} 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 augelite costs
As a guide, augelite trades around Faceted stones $60–$300/ct; Peruvian crystals $50–$2,000.
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 augelite treated, and how?
Untreated. The Peruvian Mundo Nuevo find produced the first significant facetable augelite; before that the species was known only as small crystals. Soft with good cleavage, so it is a display stone.
Where does augelite come from?
Mundo Nuevo Mine, Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru, Rapid Creek, Yukon, Canada, Champion Mine, Mono County, California, USA and Westanå, Sweden (type locality). Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is augelite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 4.5–5 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 augelite cost?
Indicatively Faceted stones $60–$300/ct; Peruvian crystals $50–$2,000. 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 augelite confused with?
Most often Quartz, Beryllonite, Danburite and Apatite. A refractive index of 1.574–1.588 and a specific gravity near 2.70 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for augelite?
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 augelite