The facts
What sussexite actually is
Sussexite is classified as manganese borate, with the composition Mn²⁺BO₂(OH). It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from white to straw-yellow or pale pink from minor Mn and Fe, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.67–1.73. Specific gravity around 3.30. Cleavage: good in one direction, fibrous habit. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where sussexite comes from
Sussexite is produced at Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, New Jersey, USA, Franklin, New Jersey, USA and Kombat Mine, Namibia.
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 sussexite is treated
Untreated. A soft, fibrous specimen mineral rather than a cut gem.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What sussexite is confused with
In the trade sussexite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Szaibélyite, Pectolite or Fibrous calcite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.67–1.73 and specific gravity 3.30 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What sussexite is used for
Demand for sussexite 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 3–3.5; cleavage good in one direction, fibrous habit. 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 sussexite costs
As a guide, sussexite trades around Specimens 20–150 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 sussexite treated, and how?
Untreated. A soft, fibrous specimen mineral rather than a cut gem.
Where does sussexite come from?
Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, New Jersey, USA, Franklin, New Jersey, USA and Kombat Mine, Namibia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is sussexite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3–3.5 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 sussexite cost?
Indicatively Specimens 20–150 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 sussexite confused with?
Most often Szaibélyite, Pectolite and Fibrous calcite. A refractive index of 1.67–1.73 and a specific gravity near 3.30 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for sussexite?
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 sussexite