Unlocking the Secrets of Gemological Analysis
Gemstone identification is a complex yet fascinating aspect of gemology, often involving various techniques and measurements. Among these, specific gravity plays a crucial role in distinguishing different gemstones. Specific gravity, also known as relative density, is a fundamental property used by gemologists to identify gemstones by measuring their density compared to water. This article provides an extensive reference table of specific gravity values for a wide range of gemstones, including both common and rare materials.
Gemstone-specific gravity values are essential for gemologists and jewelry enthusiasts alike, offering insight into the unique properties of each gemstone. While specific gravity values alone may not conclusively identify a gemstone, they serve as a valuable initial indicator, especially when combined with other diagnostic tests such as refractive index measurements and optical examination.
Here is the comprehensive table of specific gravity values for various gemstones, arranged alphabetically:
Gemstone |
Density |
| Actinolite | 3.03-3.44 |
| Adamite | 4.30-4.68 |
| Aegirine | 3.50-3.60 |
| Aegirine-augite | 3.40-3.55 |
| Aeschynite | 5.19 |
| Agate | 2.60-2.64 |
| Algondonite | 8.38 |
| Allanite | 3.50-4.20 |
| Almandine garnet | 3.93-4.30 |
| Amazonite | 2.56-2.58 |
| Amber | 1.05-1.09 |
| Amblygonite | 3.01-3.11 |
| Ammolite | 2.75-2.80 |
| Analcime | 2.22-2.29 |
| Anatase | 3.82-3.97 |
| Andalusite | 3.05-3.20 |
| Andesine | 2.65-2.69 |
| Andradite garnet | 3.70-4.10 |
| Anglesite | 6.30-6.39 |
| Anhydrite | 2.90-2.98 |
| Ankerite | 2.97 |
| Anorthoclase | 2.75-2.60 |
| Apatite | 3.16-3.23 |
| Apophyllite | 2.30-2.50 |
| Aquamarine | 2.68-2.74 |
| Aragonite | 2.94 |
| Augelite | 2.70-2.75 |
| Aventurine | 2.64-2.69 |
| Axinite | 3.26-3.36 |
| Azurite | 3.70-3.90 |
| Barite | 4.43-4.46 |
| Barytocalcite | 3.66 |
| Bayldonite | 4.35 |
| Benitoite | 3.64-3.68 |
| Beryllonite | 2.80-2.87 |
| Bismutotantalite | 8.15-8.89 |
| Bixbyite** | 4.93 |
| Boleite | 5.05 |
| Boracite | 2.95-2.96 |
| Bornite | 5.06-5.08 |
| Brazilianite | 2.98-2.99 |
| Breithauptite | 7.59-8.23 |
| Brookite | 4.08-4.18 |
| Brucite | 2.39 |
| Bustamite | 3.32-3.42 |
| Bytownite | 2.72-2.74 |
| Cacoxenite | 2.20-2.60 |
| Calcite | 2.69-2.71 |
| Canasite | 2.71 |
| Carletonite | 2.45 |
| Cassiterite | 6.70-7.10 |
| Catapleiite | 2.72 |
| Celestite | 3.97-4.00 |
| Ceruleite | 2.70-2.80 |
| Cerussite | 6.46-6.57 |
| Chabazite | 2.05-2.20 |
| Chalcedony | 2.58-2.64 |
| Chalcopyrite | 4.10-4.30 |
| Chalcosite | 5.50-5.80 |
| Chambersite | 3.49 |
| Charoite | 2.54-2.78 |
| Chiolite | 2.99-3.01 |
| Chlorapatite | 3.17-3.18 |
| Chondrodite | 3.16-3.26 |
| Chromdravite | 3.4 |
| Chromite | 4.50-4.80 |
| Chrysoberyl (Cat’s eye, Alexandrite) | 3.70-3.78 |
| Chrysocolla | 2.00-2.40 |
| Chrysoprase | 2.58-2.64 |
| Cinnabar | 8.00-8.20 |
| Clinochrysotile | 2.53 |
| Clinoenstatite | 3.19 |
| Clinohumite | 3.13-3.75 |
| Clinozoisite | 3.21-3.28 |
| Cobaltite | 6.33 |
| Colemanite | 2.40-2.42 |
| Coral | 2.60-2.70 |
| Cordierite | 2.58-2.66 |
| Covellite | 4.60-4.76 |
| Creedite | 2.72 |
| Crocoite | 5.90-6.10 |
| Cryolite | 2.97 |
| Cubic zirconia (CZ)* | 5.50-6.00 |
| Cuprite | 5.85-6.15 |
| Danburite | 2.97-3.03 |
| Datolite | 2.90-3.00 |
| Davidite | 4.5 |
| Descloizite | 5.50-6.20 |
| Diamond | 3.50-3.53 |
| Diaspore | 3.30-3.39 |
| Dickinsonite | 3.34-3.41 |
| Diopside | 3.22-3.38 |
| Dioptase | 3.28-3.35 |
| Dolomite | 2.80-2.95 |
| Dumortierite | 3.26-3.41 |
| Durangite | 3.94-4.07 |
| Ekanite | 3.28-3.32 |
| Emerald | 2.67-2.78 |
| Enstatite | 3.20-3.30 |
| Eosphorite | 3.05-3.08 |
| Epidote | 3.30-3.50 |
| Ettringite | 1.77 |
| Euchroite | 3.44 |
| Euclase | 3.1 |
| Eudialyte | 2.74-2.98 |
| Euxenite | 5.30-5.90 |
| Fabulite (Tausonite) | 5.11-5.15 |
| Fergusonite | 5.35-5.44 |
| Ferroaxinite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Ferrosilite | 3.96 |
| Fluorapatite | 3.10-3.25 |
| Fluorite | 3.00-3.25 |
| Forsterite | 3.28 |
| Friedelite | 3.06-3.19 |
| Gadolinite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG)* | 7.00-7.09 |
| Gahnite | 4.00-4.62 |
| Galaxite | 4.23 |
| Gaspéite | 3.71 |
| Gaylussite | 1.99 |
| Glass (artificial)* | 2.00-4.50 |
| Goethite | 3.80-4.30 |
| Gold | 15.50-19.30 |
| Grandidierite | 2.85-3.00 |
| Greenockite | 4.73-4.79 |
| Grossular garnet | 3.56-3.73 |
| Gypsum | 2.20-2.40 |
| Hambergite | 2.35 |
| Hancockite | 4.03 |
| Haüyne | 2.40-2.50 |
| Hedenbergite | 3.50-3.56 |
| Helvite | 3.20-3.44 |
| Hematite | 5.12-5.28 |
| Hemimorphite | 3.30-3.50 |
| Herderite | 2.95-3.02 |
| Hodgkinsonite | 3.91-3.99 |
| Holtite | 3.60-3.90 |
| Hornblende | 2.90-3.40 |
| Howlite | 2.45-2.58 |
| Huebnerite | 7.12-7.18 |
| Humite | 3.20-3.32 |
| Hureaulite | 3.15-3.19 |
| Hurlbutite | 2.88 |
| Hypersthene | 3.40-3.50 |
| Idocrase (Vesuvianite) | 3.32-3.47 |
| Ilmenite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Inderite | 1.78-1.86 |
| Jadeite | 3.30-3.38 |
| Jasper | 2.58-2.91 |
| Jeremejevite | 3.28-3.31 |
| Jet | 1.19-1.35 |
| Kämmererite | 2.64 |
| Kornerupine | 3.27-3.45 |
| Kurnakovite | 1.86 |
| Kyanite | 3.53-3.70 |
| Labradorite | 2.65-2.75 |
| Langbeinite | 2.83 |
| Lapis lazuli | 2.50-3.00 |
| Lawsonite | 3.08-3.09 |
| Lazulite | 3.04-3.14 |
| Legrandite | 3.98-4.04 |
| Lepidolite | 2.80-2.90 |
| Leucite | 2.45-2.50 |
| Leucophanite | 3 |
| Libethenite | 3.97 |
| Linarite | 5.3 |
| Linobate (Lithium niobate)* | 4.64-4.66 |
| Lithiophilite | 3.40-3.60 |
| Lizardite | 2.55 |
| Ludlamite | 3.10-3.20 |
| Magnesioaxinite | 3.18 |
| Magnesiochromite | 4.39-4.67 |
| Magnesite | 2.96-3.12 |
| Magnetite | 5.2 |
| Malachite | 3.25-4.10 |
| Manganaxinite | 3.31 |
| Manganotantalite | 7.73-7.97 |
| Marcasite | 4.83-4.92 |
| Marialite | 2.50-2.62 |
| Meionite | 2.74-2.78 |
| Meliphanite | 3.00-3.03 |
| Mellite | 1.64 |
| Melonite | 7.72 |
| Microcline | 2.54-2.57 |
| Microlite | 4.30-5.70 |
| Milarite | 2.46-2.61 |
| Millerite | 5.5 |
| Mimetite | 7.24 |
| Moissanite (Carborundum)* | 3.10-3.22 |
| Moldavite (natural glass) | 2.32-2.38 |
| Monazite | 4.98-5.43 |
| Montebrasite | 2.98-3.11 |
| Moonstone | 2.56-2.59 |
| Mordenite | 2.12-2.15 |
| Moss agate | 2.58-2.64 |
| Muscovite | 2.78-2.88 |
| Nambulite | 3.53 |
| Nepheline | 2.55-2.65 |
| Nephrite | 2.90-3.03 |
| Neptunite | 3.19-3.23 |
| Niccolite | 7.78 |
| Norbergite | 3.18 |
| Obsidian (natural glass) | 2.35-2.60 |
| Oligoclase | 2.62-2.67 |
| Opal | 1.88-2.50 |
| Orthoclase | 2.56-2.58 |
| Painite | 4.01 |
| Palygorskite | 2.21 |
| Papagoite | 3.25 |
| Parascorodite | 3.28-3.29 |
| Pargasite | 3.04-3.17 |
| Parisite | 4.33-4.42 |
| Pearl | 2.60-2.85 |
| Pectolite (Larimar) | 2.74-2.88 |
| Pentlandite | 4.60-5.00 |
| Periclase | 3.70-3.90 |
| Peridot | 3.28-4.39 |
| Peristerite | 2.59-2.68 |
| Petalite | 2.4 |
| Petrified wood | 2.58-2.91 |
| Phenakite | 2.95-2.97 |
| Phosgenite | 6.13 |
| Phosphophyllite | 3.07-3.13 |
| Piedmontite | 3.45-3.52 |
| Pollucite | 2.85-2.94 |
| Povondraite | 3.28 |
| Powellite | 4.23 |
| Precious Beryl**** | 2.66-2.87 |
| Prehnite | 2.82-2.94 |
| Prosopite | 2.88-2.89 |
| Proustite | 5.51-5.64 |
| Psilomelane (Manganese oxide) | 4.70-4.74 |
| Pumpellyite | 3.18-3.33 |
| Purpurite | 3.20-3.40 |
| Pyrargyrite | 5.85 |
| Pyrite | 5.00-5.20 |
| Pyrolusite | 4.50-5.00 |
| Pyrope garnet | 3.62-3.87 |
| Pyrophyllite | 2.65-2.90 |
| Pyroxmangite | 3.61-3.80 |
| Quartz (Amethyst, Citrine, Prasiolite, Rock crystal, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz) | 2.65 |
| Realgar | 3.56 |
| Rhodizite | 3.44 |
| Rhodochrosite | 3.45-3.70 |
| Rhodonite | 3.40-3.74 |
| Richterite | 2.97-3.45 |
| Rinkite | 3.18-3.44 |
| Ruby | 3.97-4.05 |
| Rutile | 4.20-4.30 |
| Samarskite | 5.00-5.69 |
| Sanidine | 2.56-2.58 |
| Sapphire | 3.95-4.03 |
| Sapphirine | 3.40-3.58 |
| Sarcolite | 2.91-2.96 |
| Scapolite | 2.57-2.74 |
| Schaurteite | 2.6 |
| Scheelite | 5.90-6.30 |
| Schlossmacherite | 3 |
| Schorlomite*** | 3.69-3.88 |
| Scorzalite | 3.38 |
| Sekaninaite | 2.76-2.77 |
| Sellaite | 3.15 |
| Senarmontite | 5.20-5.50 |
| Sepiolite | 2.00-2.10 |
| Serandite | 3.32 |
| Serendibite | 3.42-3.52 |
| Serpentine | 2.44-2.62 |
| Shattuckite | 4.11 |
| Siderite | 3.83-3.96 |
| Sillimanite | 3.23-3.27 |
| Silver | 9.60-12.00 |
| Simpsonite | 5.92-6.84 |
| Sinhalite | 3.46-3.50 |
| Smaragdite | 3.24-3.50 |
| Smithsonite | 4.00-4.65 |
| Sodalite | 2.14-2.40 |
| Sogdianite | 2.76-2.90 |
| Spessartite garnet | 4.12-4.18 |
| Sphalerite | 3.90-4.10 |
| Sphene (Titanite) | 3.52-3.54 |
| Spinel | 3.54-3.63 |
| Spodumene (Hiddenite, Kunzite) | 3.15-3.21 |
| Spurrite | 3.02 |
| Staurolite | 3.65-3.77 |
| Stibiotantalite | 7.53 |
| Stichtite | 2.16-2.18 |
| Stolzite | 7.90-8.34 |
| Strass | 3.15-4.20 |
| Strontianite | 3.63-3.79 |
| Sturmanite | 1.85 |
| Sugilite | 2.76-2.80 |
| Sulfur | 2.05-2.08 |
| Sunstone | 2.62-2.65 |
| Taafeite | 3.60-3.62 |
| Talc | 2.55-2.80 |
| Tantalite | 5.18-8.20 |
| Tanzanite | 3.35 |
| Tephroite | 3.87-4.12 |
| Thaumasite | 1.91 |
| Thomsonite | 2.23-2.39 |
| Thorianite | 9.70-9.80 |
| Tiger’s eye | 2.58-2.64 |
| Tinzenite | 3.36-3.43 |
| Topaz | 3.49-3.57 |
| Tourmaline | 2.82-3.90 |
| Tremolite | 2.95-3.07 |
| Triphylite | 3.34-3.58 |
| Tugtupite | 2.36-2.57 |
| Turquoise | 2.31-2.84 |
| Ulexite | 1.65-1.95 |
| Uvarovite garnet | 3.41-3.52 |
| Vanadinite | 6.50-7.10 |
| Variscite | 2.42-2.58 |
| Väyrynenite | 3.22 |
| Vivianite | 2.64-2.70 |
| Vlasovite | 2.92-2.96 |
| Wardite | 2.81-2.87 |
| Wavellite | 2.36 |
| Weloganite | 3.22 |
| Whewellite | 2.19-2.25 |
| Willemite | 3.89-4.18 |
| Witherite | 4.27-4.79 |
| Wolframite | 7.10-7.60 |
| Wollastonite | 2.86-3.09 |
| Wulfenite | 6.50-7.00 |
| Wurtzite | 4.09 |
| Xonotlite | 2.71-2.72 |
| Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG)* | 4.55-4.65 |
| Yttrotantalite | 5.7 |
| Yugawaralite | 2.19-2.23 |
| Zektzerite | 2.79 |
| Zeolite (Natrolite, Mesolite, Scolecite) | 2.20-2.29 |
| Zincite | 5.66 |
| Zircon | 3.93-4.73 |
| Zoisite (non-Tanzanite) | 3.15-3.36 |
| Zunyite | 2.87 |
*Synthetic and imitation gems are also available for this material.
**Value based on limited information; may be incorrect.
***No standard composition exists; values given are approximate.
****Includes emerald, aquamarine, and morganite.
Source: IGS
Values can vary slightly depending on factors such as impurities, crystal structure, and sample preparation. Gemologists often use these values as a preliminary test to identify unknown gemstones, combining them with other tests such as refractive index measurements and optical examination for accurate identification.
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