Epidote

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Epidote
{Ca₂}{Al₂Fe³⁺}[O|OH|SiO₄|SiO₇] Monoclinic

Epidote from the Knappenwand, Austria	© Harjo

Epidote is a common mineral found in low to moderately regionally metamorphosed rocks. Epidote also occurs in contact metamorph limestone, especially near ore deposits. In granitic rocks Epidote is found in small fissures.
Until the advent of the discovery of the Knappenwand Epidote was not a popular collectors mineral.
When the first Knappenwand specimens saw the daylight the Strahlers didn't know what they found, only that the crystals were extremely beautiful. Some specimens were then handed over to a dealer who got them analysed. From then on the news travelled fast, spreading over Europe and soon arriving in the USA.
Most of the early specimens consequently landed in the USA where many still reside.
For a long time the Knappenwand remained the only locality delivering outstanding specimens.
The first locality since the Knappenwand that delivered very good specimens was Green monster Mountain in Alaska, followed by localities in Pakistan and Iran in recent years.
Outstanding specimens from either of the top localities command very high prices with the Knappenwand ranking first, for the amount of money needed to buy a really top class Knappenwand specimen one can also buy a house......or two..


Epidote
Australia
Northern Territory, Harts Ranges (Hartz Ranges)

Epidote 3,2cm	© Maggie Wilson

Info about specimens from the Harts Ranges.


Epidote
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Krimmler Ache valley, Söllnkar

Epidote 4,3cm	© www.mineralienkluft.at

Epidote 4cm	© www.mineralienkluft.at

Exposures of garnetitic rock and of epidote-amphibolites of the Knappenwandmulde series, disseminated by aplitic veins.


Epidote
Austria
Hohe Tauern Mts, Obersulzbach valley, Seebach valley, Seebach lake, Seekar (Seebachkar)

Epidote 3,8cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Mineralized clefts in amphibolites. Located northwest of the Seebach lake.


Epidote
Austria
Salzburg, Hohe Tauern Mts, Untersulzbach valley, Knappenwand area, Knappenwand

Epidote 4cm	© Harjo

Epidote scale 1 inch, rule 1cm	©

Epidote scale 1 inch, rule 1cm	©

scale 1 inch, rule 1cm	©

Epidote 9,2cm	© www.mineralienkluft.at

Epidote 8cm	© fabreminerals.com

Epidote FOV 1,5cm	© Harjo

Clefts in epidote-amphibolites of the so-called Knappenwandmulde series. The well known mineralization with outstanding epidote crystals is restricted to places where these clefts intersect with an aplite vein. The locality owes its discovery in 1865 to prospection works in search of copper ores, which occur at several places both at the Knappenwand and in its vicinity. Rarely, fine bornite crystals occur in association with epidote. The first Epidote crystals were discovered by the famous Strahler Alois Wurnitsch. The deposit was intermittently worked for epidote until 1956. Later, specimens were recovered during a scientific project guided by staff from the National History Museum of Vienna.
Presently (2007), the site is leased by the Zukunftkollegium Neukirchen and mined for specimens.
Epidote from the Knappenwand are generally regarded as the best Epidote specimens in the world. No other locality has produced that many outstanding specimens, outstanding in every aspect; clarity, morphology, lustre etc. Quality specimens from the Knappenwand command very high prices on the market and top class specimens are only affordable for the happy few, or the collectors that dare take an extra mortgage on their house......


Epidote
Azarbaijan
Dashkesan, Daşkəsən (Daskasan; Dashkyasan) District, Dashkesan, Dashkesan (Dashkezan) Co-Fe deposit

Epidote, Quartz 10cm	© Vítězslav Snášel

Info about specimens from Dashkesan.


Epidote
Belgium
Walloon Brabant, Rebecq, Quenast, Porphyry quarries

Epidote 8cm	© Harjo

Epidote 5cm	© L.Bernard

Epidote 30cm	© Harjo

Epidote 13cm	© Michel Blondieau

Epidote FOV 1cm	© Harjo

The quarry of Quenast is one of several quarries (along with Lessines, Deux-Acren and Bierges) located in the zone with magmatic intrusions along the southern border of the Brabant massif (look for a detailed history of the quarries on the Quenast end Lessines locality pages).
Mineralised zones only occur at the contact zone with the adjoining Quartzite slate, an approximately 2 to 3 meters wide metamorphosed zone. Sporadically, about once every ten years according to the quarry geologist, larger cavities are encountered that can sometimes contain very nice Epidote crystals along with Quartz (crystals up to 50 cm have been found), Axinite, Apatite, Calcite, Orthoclase, Albite and other minerals.
The Epidote crystals are usually found on plates consisting of radiating sprays of crystals up to 5 cm long, although larger crystals have been found.
Given the sporadic nature of the encountered cavities and the fact that the management does not allow collecting in the quarry the specimens from Quenast are hard to come by on the market and top class specimens are extremely rare.


Epidote
Brazil
Southeast Region, Minas Gerais, Jequitinhonha valley, Capelinha, Fazenda Rubin Pimenta Mine

Epidote 4cm	© Rui Nunes 2007

Epidote 6,1cm	© JSS

Information about specimens from Capelinha.


Epidote
Bulgaria
Smolyan Oblast, Rhodope Mts, Madan ore field, Krushev dol mine, Krushev dol deposit

Epidote, Quartz 10cm	© www.SpiriferMinerals.com

Information about specimens from Krushev dol.


Epidote
China
Guangdong Province, Shaoguan Prefecture

Epidote, Aragonite size?	© Jiangbin

Info about specimens from Guangdong.


Epidote
China
Giuzhou Province, Qianxi'nan Autonomous Prefecture, Anlong Co., Getang Au-Sb deposit

Epidote, Quartz, Prehnite 6cm	© MinFans.com

Information about specimens from Getang.


Epidote
China
Hebei Province, Handan Prefecture

Epidote 3,6cm	© Jiangbin

Epidote 4,2cm	© Jiangbin

Information about specimens from Hebei.


Epidote
China
Sichuan Province, Leshan Prefecture, Ebian Co., Jinkouhe

Epidote 6,4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Information about specimens from Jinkouhe.


Epidote
China
Sichuan Province, Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture, Meigu Co., Hongquizhen quarry

Epidote 13cm	© Rob Lavinsky

A small quarry in a hillside, worked by local farmers.


Epidote
China
Yunnan Province, Nujiang Autonomous Prefecture, Gaoligong Mts (Gaoligong Shan)

Epidote 3,6cm	© rare-X.com

Highlands west of the Nu river (Nu Jiang) valley.
Located in northwestern Yunnan Province, close to the border to Myanmar (Burma).


Epidote
Czech Republic
Moravia (Mähren, Maehren), Olomouc Region, Šumperk (Mährisch Schönberg), Sobotín (Zöptau; Zoeptau)

Epidote 4cm	© Filip Kopecký

Information about specimens from Sobotin.


Epidote
France
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Hautes-Alpes, Saint-Véran

Epidote FOV 0,6cm	© J.Dehove

Information about specimans from Saint-Veran.


Epidote
France
Rhône-Alpes, Savoie, Maurienne valley, Glandon Pass

Epidote 12cm	© G.BRET

The Glandon pass is located between Bourg d'Oisans and the Maurienne valley.


Epidote
Greece
Thraki (Thrace; Thracia) Department, Xánthi Prefecture

Epidote 3,5cm	© Ch. Spirom. & Greekrocks.com

Information about specimens from Xanthi.


Epidote
Iran
Markazi Province, Tafresh city, Saveh town, Kuhandan village, Khowrin Mt (Khorram Mt), Epidote locality

Epidote 5cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

Epidote 3,5cm	© 2002 John H. Betts

A locality on Khowrin Mt (Kuh-e Khowrin; Kuh-e Khorram) near Kuhandan village, famous for gemmy epidote crystals. Now quite exhausted (Vachik Hairapetian, pers. comm., 2006). Located SE of Tafresh area, near Saveh town.
NOTE: Specimens from this locality were also erroneously/insufficiently labeled as coming from "Zagros Mts (Kuhha-ye Zagros)".


Epidote
Italy
Aosta valley, Châtillon, Bellecombe

Epidote 2,5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Epidote 0,6cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Information about specimens from Bellecombe.


Epidote
Italy
Liguria, Genova Province, Ne, Graveglia Valley, Nascio

Epidote 3,7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Basalt outcroppings near the village of Nascio.


Epidote
Italy
Piedmont, Cuneo Province, Varaita Valley

Epidote 4,7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Information about specimens from Varaita.


Epidote
Italy
Piedmont, Torino Province, Canavese District, Chiusella Valley, Traversella

Epidote scale 1 inch rule 1cm	©

Information about specimens from Traversella.


Epidote
Italy
Piedmont, Torino Province, Sesia-Lanzo zone, Lanzo Valley, Viù Valley

Epidote 0,3cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Epidote 3,4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Rodingite dykes in serpentinite.
Known for excellent epidote crystals.


Epidote
Italy
Piedmont, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Ossola Valley

Epidote 3cm	© Chinellato Matteo

Epidote 0,4cm	© D. Preite

Several good localities for Epidote in Ossola Valley, among others: Rivasco quarry in Antigorio valley, Antrona valley and Mount Cervandone.


Epidote
Italy
Trentino-Alto Adige, Trento Province, Fiemme Valley, Costa di Viezzena (Porta di Viezzena)

Epidote 6cm	© Manuele Moro

Information about specimens from Costa di Viezzena.


Epidote
Kenya
North Eastern Province

Epidote scale 1 inch rule 1cm	©

Information about specimens from Kenya.


Epidote
Mali
Kayes Region

Epidote, Prehnite 12,5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Epidote, Prehnite 3,7cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Several good localities (Djouga, Diakon, Sandaré, Sadiola Hill) for Epidote and Prehnite combination specimens.


Epidote
Mexico
Baja California Norte

Epidote 3cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Epidote 5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Several good localities (Isla Guadalupe, Pino Solo, San Quintin) for excellent Epidote specimens.


Epidote
Morocco
Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Er Rachidia Province, High Atlas Mts, Imilchil

Epidote 6,7cm	© fabreminerals.com

Location for nice typical bow-tie fans of Epidote crystals.


Epidote
Norway
Østfold, Halden, Berg, Svingen quarry

Epidote 12,5cm	© A. Michalsen

Information about specimens from Svingen.


Epidote
Pakistan
Balochistan (Baluchistan)

Epidote 6,6cm	© Steve Hardinger

Several localities (Zard Mts, Wadh, Kharan) for excellent Epidote specimens.


Epidote
Pakistan
Balochistan (Baluchistan), Kharan, Raskoh Mts.

Epidote 7.7cm wide	© Christian Bracke

Epidote 7.2cm wide	© fabreminerals.com

These showed up in 2011 and there appear to be quite a few of them. They seem to come in two strange crystal forms. One is rather flat tables that appear to be almost hexagonal and the other almost octahedral. Sometimes both habits occur on the same specimen. Some of them are magnetic, probably from tiny included magnetite crystals, and some appear to be slightly yellow which appears to be due to a dusting of micro Titanite crystals. Most of the specimens are not very shiny and perhaps the largest crystals are less than 10 cm across.



Epidote
Pakistan
Northern Areas, Baltistan, Skardu District

Epidote 2,5cm	©

Epidote 7cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Epidote 5,5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Epidote 7,5cm	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Epidote 4cm	© Michael Shaw

A wealth of very good localities (Skardu Road, Hurchas, Hachupa, Dassu, Alchuri, Shigar valley, Tormiq valley) for outstanding Epidote crystals. When these specimens entered the market it was the first time that Epidote was seen that came near the quality of the Knappenwand specimens, especially the typical "faden" groups.


Epidote
Peru
Ancash Department, Bolognesi Province, Huallanca, Chiurucu (Chiuruco), La Gringa Mine

Epidote, Calcite 5,4cm	© fabreminerals.com

Information about specimens from La Gringa.


Epidote
Peru
Huancavelica Department, Castrovirreyna Province, Castrovirreyna District

Epidote, Calcite 5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Epidote 5,3cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Very good localities for Epidote including: San Genaro mine (most famous one for Ag sulfosalts), Caudalosa mine, Rapida mine, La Griega mine, Madona mine, Bonanza mine, Seguridad mine, Lira mine, Carmen mine.


Epidote
Peru
Ica Department, Pampa Blanca

Epidote 6,5cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Epidote 8cm	© Tony Peterson

Information about specimens from Pampa Blanca.


Epidote
Poland
Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie), Strzegom-Sobótka Massif, Świdnica District,Strzegom (Striegau)

Epidote 4,5cm	© Volker Betz

Miarolitic pegmatites in the Strzegom-Sobótka massif.


Epidote
Portugal
Leiria District, Óbidos, Senhora da Luz

Epidote 4cm	© Martins da Pedra

Gypsum quarry.


Epidote
Russia
Urals Region, Middle Urals, Ekaterinburgskaya (Sverdlovskaya) Oblast'

Epidote 7,5cm	© Joseph A. Freilich

Good localities for Epidote including Katsna Yama and Mor's Pit.


Epidote
Spain
Extremadura, Monesterio, Aguablanca Mine (Agua Blanca Mine)

Epidote Quartz Andradite 12,5cm	© fabreminerals.com

The Aguablanca nickel mine is Rio Narcea's first nickel sulphide mine in Western Europe, producing nickel-copper-PGM concentrate.
The deposit is hosted by a subvertical magmatic breccia.
Excellent combination specimens of Epidote with Quartz and Andradite have been found in the mine.


Epidote
Spain
Valencian Community, Alicante, Albatera, Hondón de los Frailes, Los Serranos Quarry

Epidote, Quartz 4cm	© Martins da Pedra

The Serranos quarry is at the moment (2006) in activity. In this quarry a dolerite (alkaline subvolcanic rock) outcrop is exploited, which is used for highways. The dolerite forms sills in Triassic rocks (Keuper facies): marls, gypsum and carbonated rocks.
The quarry is in the township of Albatera, but can by accessed only from Hondón de Los Frailes country. For this reason, the locality name includes Hondón.
Very nice and sometimes large plates covered with Epidote and clear Quartz crystals have abundantly been found in the quarry.


Epidote
Sweden
Lappland, Kiruna district, Svappavaara, Leveäniemi Mine

Epidote 4cm	© Martins da Pedra

An iron open-pit mine active 1964-83.


Epidote
Switzerland
Grischun (Grisons, Graubünden), Misox (Mesolcina Valley), Calanca Valley, Arvigo, Gneiss quarries

Epidote FOV 0,6cm	© Stephan Wolfsried

Quarries in biotite gneisses.
Access and collecting is strictly forbidden since 2007 following a massive landslide.


Epidote
Switzerland
Ticino (Tessin), Maggia Valley, Riveo, Gneiss quarries

Epidote Albite Apatite 4cm	© Harjo

Epidote FOV 0,8cm	© Harjo

Quarries in biotite-plagioclase gneiss along the road from Riveo to Cevio.
Minerals (Epidote, Apatite, Apophylite, Albite, Quartz, Titanite and others) can be found in the scarce (usually) funnel shaped Alpine type clefts containing an Albite/Epidote breccia.


Epidote
Switzerland
Wallis (Valais), Zermatt-Saas Fee area, Matt Valley, Zermatt

Epidote 5,9cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Good localities, especially the Gorner glacier area, for Epidote, sometimes in nice combination specimens with Diopside.


Epidote
USA
Alaska, Price of Wales-Outer Ketchikan Borough, Prince of Wales Island

Epidote 6,5cm	© Dan Weinrich

Epidote Quartz 5cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Epidote 4cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Copper Mountain and Green Monster Mountain rank amongst the top Epidote localities in the world. The best specimens can compete with specimens from Pakistan and Iran, some even come close to Knappenwand specimens. Especially attractive are combination specimens with lustrous Epidote and Quartz as well as single large blocky crystals.


Epidote
USA
California, Calaveras Co.

Epidote 6cm	© WWB

Epidote 4,6cm	© 2008 Steve Hardinger

The Sierran bedrock complex in Calaveras county consists of a series of northwest trending beds of metamorphic rocks that have been intensely folded and faulted and intruded by a series of intrusive igneous rocks, chiefly Granitic. Interpretation of the geologic structure in the metamorphic rocks can be extremely difficult due to its complexity, the destruction of bedding by shearing and the absence of key horizons. These metamorphic rocks are characterized by beds and foliation that strike northwest, parallel to the trend of the Sierra Nevada; vertical or steep easterly and northeasterly dips; and overturned, nearly isoclinal folds. The repetition of beds, particularly those of the Mariposa Slate and Greenstone west of the Mother Lode, results from this folding.

The Mother Lode vein system extends across Calaveras county in a northwest direction. It is a major fault zone in which there has been reverse movement, but the amount of displacement is largely unknown. Gold bearing Quartz veins have been deposited within the resulting fissures. Ultrabasic intrusions west of the Mother Lode are largely serpentinized and trend northwest as well, thus reflecting the major structural trend of the region.

Nice Epidote specimens have been found on Garnet Hill and in the Miracle Mountaine Mine.


Epidote
USA
California, Inyo Co., Death Valley National park, Saline Valley

Epidote 9,7cm	© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Information about specimens from Saline Valley.


Epidote
USA
Colorado, Chaffee Co., Turret District, Calumet Mine

Epidote Quartz 10cm	© 2001 John H. Betts

Epidote 8,4cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Information about specimens from Calumet Mine.


Epidote
USA
Nevada, Mineral Co.

Epidote 4,7cm	© Eric Graff

Information about specimens from Mineral Co.


Epidote
USA
Vermont, Orleans & Lamoille Cos., Lowell & Eden, Belvidere Mountain Quarries

Epidote 0,5cm	© 2005 Peter Cristofono

Asbestos was first discovered on Belvidere Mountain before 1823 (in Lowell, formerly Kellyvale). In 1899, a prospect was developed at the east base of the mountain which was later mined by the Lowell Lumber & Asbestos Company. Another company, New England Asbestos Mining and Milling, began mining the southwest side in 1902.

The excavations for this asbestos deposit are virtually continuous and overlapping. Many collectors maintain a distinction without a difference as to the names of particular pits. Although there are historical references to particular sub-locations such as the C-area, etc., specimens from these locations have been distributed without specific labels to identify which pit or exact spot they have come from. The largest two levels are at the north end of the excavations the Lowell quarry and, consequently, which have produced most of the specimens, and are largely in Lowell, but exceptional specimens have also been found in Eden on the southern end of the quarry area (T-area). (Have fun figuring out how to label specimens from this area!)


Pseudomorph after Epidote
USA
Washington, King Co., North Bend, Green Mountain, Bessemer Ridge

Hematite after Epidote, Quartz, 8,8cm	© Rob Lavinsky

Very interesting locality on the north summit of Green Mountain (discovered by Bart Cannon) for pseudomorphs of Hematite after Epidote, in turn these pseudomorphs have sometimes been completely overgrown with small Quartz crystals.


A lot of information is still needed for individual localities. Any help in providing this information will be greatly appreciated

[Harjo Neutkens 2010]



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Edited 161 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2013 09:18PM by Harjo Neutkens.

Hello Vik,
Pistacite is not recommended to be used as a name but rather as a way of expressing the Fe3+ content in the epidote. Your sample looks like a dead on for epidote (pistachio green), the pistacite content would need to be determined with microprobe or something comparable.

Epidote group minerals are great at incorporating impurities as substitutions for Fe3+ and Ca2+ and can be fascinating petrologically because of this.

Cheers.
Ian Merkel


There are two lattice sites where Fe can go, but only one of them makes epidote out of clinozoisite. If there is less than 5% Fe by wt then there is not enough Fe to make epidote and so it must be Clinozoisite. I don't know if the Fe preferentially occupies one or the other of its possible lattice postions, but there will be a wt % of Fe that allows for filling the irrelvant postion completely and just more than half the species determining site. Any iron content above that % will definately be epidote. Anything in between must be determined by single xl x-ray work to find the species. However this range can be narrowed somewhat as Cinozoisite is optically positive and Epidote is optically negative, but that may not be the case close to the midpoint between the species and there single xl work really is necesary. I think this is a silly use of the "dominant lattice site" rule and there should only be one species and two colour varieties.

Rob Woodside


Yes, clinozoisite is a member of the epidote group - essentially epidote with very little Fe. A lot of mineralogists would consider that epidote should be called ferroan clinozoisite but its been around a long time. So the difference, whether by Fe content or optics or colour is quite arbitrary really, and the names are almost interchangable to many mineralogists and collectors. I don't think that pistacite (i.e. an epidote with Fe>Al) has yet been found in nature, even synthetically (but someone may correct me?) it only exists as a hypothetical endmember. I dont think there is any significant difference in Fe/Al partitioning between the sites else someone would have tried to define an ordered epidote as a new mineral.
"optically positive/negative" refers to optical effects under polarised light microscopy, not very useful info unless you have a petrological microscope, and not used so much these days with microprobes etc so accessible.

Ralph Bottrill

[attachment 20747 epidote5.jpg]
[attachment 20748 epidote1.jpg]
5.5x4x3.5 cm terminated crystal of Epidote from famous skarn deposit of Southern Ural. Crystaline forms m {110}, n {111} and o {011} are well developed on its "termination" (which in reality is prismatic belt of the crystal in standart orientation). Usually epidote crystals in this mine are much more larger (up to 1 m long and more) and it was difficult for me to obtain such small and perfectly terminated specimen.

Pavel Kartashov

Harjo,
You might also want to include the Bessemer Ridge. Washington locality for epidotes that are no more (pseudomorphs)
[www.mindat.org]

Thanks David, yes, I'm going to add them right a way, very nice pseudos!

Here is a possible contribution to this article. [www.mindat.org]
The crystals were self collected around 1966. The largest is 10cm in length and is excellent in morphology, showing striations and very dark green color. Minor quartz crystals are associated. The most interesting aspect is that these are only the terminations of what were up to 2', or longer, crystals.

Gene Cisneros

There is some controversy as to whether the pseudos from Bessemer Ridge are actually after Epidote. Some recently collected specimens display fairly sharp terminal faces which do not seem consistent with Epidote.

Bob

Harjo,

The Epidotes labeled "California, Inyo Co., Death Valley National park, Saline Valley" [www.mindat.org] should be relabeled (matter of fact all Epidotes accredited to that locality) to "Bird Springs Garnet claim (Nelson Range deposit), Nelson Range, Death Valley National Park, Inyo Co., California, USA" [www.mindat.org].

Early on Saline Valley is all the field collectors would give out and in a way it is correct as it is in the Saline Valley drainage, but no where near as accurate. I have collected here many times.

Bill

[www.mindat.org]
[webmineral.ru]

[webmineral.ru]

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