The facts
What powellite actually is
The species behind powellite is scheelite group, CaMoO₄; it forms in the tetragonal system.
Mo⁶⁺ gives straw to greenish yellow; bright yellow fluorescence under short-wave UV 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 1.974–1.984 and a specific gravity of about 4.23, with indistinct pyramidal cleavage.
Where powellite comes from
Commercial material comes from Pandulena Hills, Nashik, Maharashtra, India, Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan, USA and Jardinera No. 1 Mine, Atacama, Chile.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How powellite is treated
Untreated. Indian trap-rock crystals are the classic specimens; soft and cleavable, so faceting is for collectors only.
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 powellite is confused with
Watch for Scheelite, Wulfenite and Sphene — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.974–1.984 and specific gravity 4.23 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What powellite is used for
The trades that buy powellite are mineral collecting. 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.
Durability and care
Hardness 3.5–4; cleavage indistinct pyramidal. 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 powellite costs
Expect roughly Specimens 30–500 USD; faceted stones 60–250 USD/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 powellite treated, and how?
Untreated. Indian trap-rock crystals are the classic specimens; soft and cleavable, so faceting is for collectors only.
Where does powellite come from?
Pandulena Hills, Nashik, Maharashtra, India, Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan, USA and Jardinera No. 1 Mine, Atacama, Chile. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is powellite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3.5–4 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 powellite cost?
Indicatively Specimens 30–500 USD; faceted stones 60–250 USD/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 powellite confused with?
Most often Scheelite, Wulfenite and Sphene. A refractive index of 1.974–1.984 and a specific gravity near 4.23 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for powellite?
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 powellite