The facts
What brucite actually is
The species behind brucite is brucite, Mg(OH)₂; it forms in the trigonal system.
Mn and Fe traces giving honey-yellow to pale green; pure brucite is white is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.560–1.590 and a specific gravity of about 2.39, with perfect basal {0001}; flexible, sectile laminae cleavage.
Where brucite comes from
Commercial material comes from Wood's Chrome Mine, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA, Asbestos (Jeffrey Mine), Quebec, Canada and Killa Saifullah, Balochistan, Pakistan.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How brucite is treated
Untreated. Far too soft and cleavable to wear; faceted brucite exists only as a collector curiosity, and even then it scratches in handling.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What brucite is confused with
Watch for Gypsum, Calcite, Amber and Sulphur — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.560–1.590 and specific gravity 2.39 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What brucite is used for
The trades that buy brucite are mineral collecting and heavy industry. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen or by the tonne.
Durability and care
Brucite is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, with perfect basal {0001}; flexible, sectile laminae 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 brucite costs
Expect roughly Specimens $30–$600; faceted stones $50–$200/ct, depending on quality.
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 brucite treated, and how?
Untreated. Far too soft and cleavable to wear; faceted brucite exists only as a collector curiosity, and even then it scratches in handling.
Where does brucite come from?
Wood's Chrome Mine, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA, Asbestos (Jeffrey Mine), Quebec, Canada and Killa Saifullah, Balochistan, Pakistan. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is brucite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5 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 brucite cost?
Indicatively Specimens $30–$600; faceted stones $50–$200/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 brucite confused with?
Most often Gypsum, Calcite, Amber and Sulphur. A refractive index of 1.560–1.590 and a specific gravity near 2.39 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for brucite?
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 brucite