The facts
What shortite actually is
The species behind shortite is sodium-calcium carbonate, Na₂Ca₂(CO₃)₃; it forms in the orthorhombic system.
Colourless to pale yellow; no significant chromophore 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 1.531–1.570 and a specific gravity of about 2.60–2.63, with perfect in two directions cleavage.
Where shortite comes from
Commercial material comes from Green River Formation, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, USA and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How shortite is treated
Untreated. Slowly soluble in water and prone to surface etching, so cut stones need dry storage. A trona-deposit curiosity.
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 shortite is confused with
Watch for Calcite, Aragonite and Danburite — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.531–1.570 and specific gravity 2.60–2.63 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What shortite is used for
The trades that buy shortite 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
Shortite is 3 on the Mohs scale, with perfect in two directions 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 shortite costs
Expect roughly Faceted stones 50–250 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 shortite treated, and how?
Untreated. Slowly soluble in water and prone to surface etching, so cut stones need dry storage. A trona-deposit curiosity.
Where does shortite come from?
Green River Formation, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, USA and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is shortite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3 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 shortite cost?
Indicatively Faceted stones 50–250 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 shortite confused with?
Most often Calcite, Aragonite and Danburite. A refractive index of 1.531–1.570 and a specific gravity near 2.60–2.63 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for shortite?
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 shortite