Sunstone

Feldspar

6–6.5Hardness (Mohs)

Oligoclase/Labradorite:CuChemistry

4Known origins & mines

Glittering aventurescent feldspar — Oregon's Ponderosa mine produces copper-shiller sunstones with red-green dichroism unique to Plush and Eagle Butte. Norway, Tanzania and India provide classic orange glitter material.

Known origins & mines

Ponderosa Sunstone Mine · United States

Active mining · Legendary locality

Oregon high desert sunstone beds contain copper-shiller gems showing red-green dichroism unique to Plush area digs — pay-to-dig operations w…

Kangeyam Sunstone Fields · India

Active mining · Notable deposit

Tamil Nadu's copper-bearing sunstone locality discovered in 2005 near Kangeyam - India's answer to Oregon sunstone with vivid shiller.…

Tvedestrand Sunstone Quarries · Norway

Historic mine · Minor occurrence

Norwegian coast sunstone was Viking legend's "sun compass" candidate — glittering orange oligoclase quarried since the 1800s.…

Ponderosa Sunstones · United States

Historic mine · Notable deposit

Mineral family: Feldspar

Moonstone Labradorite Amazonite