The facts
What parisite actually is
Parisite is classified as rare-earth fluorocarbonate, with the composition CaCe₂(CO₃)₃F₂. It crystallises in the trigonal system.
Colour comes from ce and La give yellow-brown to reddish brown, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.671–1.771. Specific gravity around 4.33–4.42. Cleavage: distinct basal. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where parisite comes from
Parisite is produced at Muzo Mine, Boyacá, Colombia, Coscuez Mine, Boyacá, Colombia and Mount Malosa, Zomba, Malawi.
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 parisite is treated
Untreated. Famous chiefly as an inclusion in Colombian emerald, where its presence is a useful origin indicator; free crystals large enough to facet are rare.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What parisite is confused with
In the trade parisite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Bastnäsite, Synchysite or Sphene.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.671–1.771 and specific gravity 4.33–4.42 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What parisite is used for
Demand for parisite 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
Hardness 4.5; cleavage distinct basal. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
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 parisite costs
As a guide, parisite trades around Faceted stones 150–600 USD/ct; matrix specimens 50–400 USD.
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 parisite treated, and how?
Untreated. Famous chiefly as an inclusion in Colombian emerald, where its presence is a useful origin indicator; free crystals large enough to facet are rare.
Where does parisite come from?
Muzo Mine, Boyacá, Colombia, Coscuez Mine, Boyacá, Colombia and Mount Malosa, Zomba, Malawi. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is parisite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 4.5 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 parisite cost?
Indicatively Faceted stones 150–600 USD/ct; matrix specimens 50–400 USD. 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 parisite confused with?
Most often Bastnäsite, Synchysite and Sphene. A refractive index of 1.671–1.771 and a specific gravity near 4.33–4.42 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for parisite?
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 parisite