The facts
What wardite actually is
Wardite is classified as wardite, with the composition NaAl₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₄·2H₂O. It crystallises in the tetragonal system.
Colour comes from traces of Fe giving pale blue-green to yellowish-green; often colourless, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.590–1.607. Specific gravity around 2.78–2.87. Cleavage: perfect {001}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where wardite comes from
Wardite is produced at Rapid Creek and Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Utah, USA (type locality, in variscite nodules) and Lavra da Ilha, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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 wardite is treated
Untreated. Occurs as concentric layers in Utah variscite nodules and as sharp pyramidal crystals in the Yukon phosphate occurrences; faceted material is very rare.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What wardite is confused with
In the trade wardite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Variscite, Apatite, Prehnite or Fluorite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.590–1.607 and specific gravity 2.78–2.87 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What wardite is used for
Demand for wardite 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
Wardite is 5 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {001} 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 wardite costs
As a guide, wardite trades around Crystal specimens $50–$1,500; faceted stones rare, $100–$400/ct.
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 wardite treated, and how?
Untreated. Occurs as concentric layers in Utah variscite nodules and as sharp pyramidal crystals in the Yukon phosphate occurrences; faceted material is very rare.
Where does wardite come from?
Rapid Creek and Big Fish River, Yukon, Canada, Clay Canyon, Fairfield, Utah, USA (type locality, in variscite nodules) and Lavra da Ilha, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is wardite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 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 wardite cost?
Indicatively Crystal specimens $50–$1,500; faceted stones rare, $100–$400/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 wardite confused with?
Most often Variscite, Apatite, Prehnite and Fluorite. A refractive index of 1.590–1.607 and a specific gravity near 2.78–2.87 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for wardite?
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 wardite