Where is Moonstone found?
Adularia (Orthoclase variety)
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Open the appMoonstone occurs in specific geological environments. Knowing where to look, and in what kind of rock, is the difference between going home empty-handed and finding a great specimen.
Where to find Moonstone
Sri Lanka
Renowned for producing high-quality blue moonstone, particularly from the Meetiyagoda mines.
India
Known for producing moonstones with a more milky or brownish hue, often with a strong adularescence.
Myanmar (Burma)
Produces moonstone, often with good clarity and adularescence.
Madagascar
Source of various qualities of moonstone, including some with blue adularescence.
Tanzania
Known for producing moonstone, sometimes with a yellowish tint.
Brazil
Occasional source of moonstone.
United States (e.g., New Mexico, Virginia)
Some localities produce moonstone, though generally not of gem quality.
Switzerland (Adula Alps)
The type locality for adularia, a variety of orthoclase that can exhibit adularescence.
Collecting tips
- Look for Feldspar Deposits. Moonstone is a feldspar, so search in areas known for feldspar-rich igneous or metamorphic rocks, such as pegmatites, granites, and syenites, or in hydrothermal veins.
- Examine for Adularescence. The key identifying feature is the adularescence. Rotate potential specimens under a light source to observe the characteristic floating, bluish-white to white glow. This effect is best seen in polished or tumbled pieces.
- Check for Cleavage. Feldspars exhibit perfect cleavage in two directions. Look for flat, reflective surfaces where the mineral has broken along these planes.
- Consider Associated Minerals. Moonstone can be found alongside other minerals common in pegmatites and hydrothermal veins, such as quartz, mica, and other feldspars.
- Beware of Imitations. Glass or synthetic materials can imitate moonstone. Genuine moonstone will have a specific gravity and hardness consistent with feldspar, and the adularescence will appear to originate from within the stone, not just on the surface.
Quick Check
- Color:
- Colorless to white, gray, brown, yellow, pink, green; often with a bluish-white sheen (adularescence).
- Luster:
- Vitreous to pearly.
- Streak:
- White.
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