Gemstone Glossary

Although not that well known by the general public, Apophyllite is quite popular among mineral collectors. It is a classic mineral whose name means ‘to flake apart’ in Greek. It was given the name because of the way its crystals peel or flake when heated. This result is due to the loss of water molecules. Apophyllite has a hardness of 4.5 - 5.0 on the Moh’s Scale and a Specific Gravity of 2.3 - 2.4.


Apophyllite is not actually an official mineral name, but rather the name given to a group of three different minerals that are similar in their chemistry and physical properties: Fluor-Apophyllite, Hydroxy-Apophyllite, and Natro-Apophyllite.Fluor-Apophyllite is by far the most common type of the three and is the type most commonly referred to as simply “Apophyllite”. It is also the most colorful variant of Apophyllite. It occurs as colorless, white, green, yellow or violet. Some specimens fluoresce pale green or yellow under ultra-violet light, a characteristic never found in the other two types of Apophyllite.

Hydroxy-Apophyllite is also relatively common. However, specimens generally lack any color. One of the largest known deposits is at Ore Knob Mine, Jefferson, North Carolina. Natro-Apophyllite is the rarest type and is only found in Okayama, Honshu, Japan and a few other locations. It occurs in colorless, yellow, brownish yellow, or brown forms.

Apophyllite, especially the rare green form, relates to the heart chakra. It is believed to bring love, joyous and uplifting energy, and is very good to use if one feels depressed. Apophyllite is also good for treating asthma as well as colon and bladder disorders. Apophyllite is also quite popular among mineral collectors due to its beauty, pastel colors, bright luster and interesting crystal habit.