Variscite, Woodlands Station, Gascoyne region, WA

Collection Highlights | Updated 1 week ago

Variscite from the Waldburg deposit on Woodlands Station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. Specimen number WAM J11.2015.
Variscite from the Waldburg deposit on Woodlands Station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. Specimen number WAM J11.2015.
Geoff Deacon, WA Museum

Variscite (hydrated aluminium phosphate) is a gem material that is widely used in jewellery and carvings. These beautiful, polished slabs of variscite are from the Waldburg deposit on Woodlands Station in the Gascoyne region of WA. The variscite there occurs in veins up to 10 cm thick within ancient marine sedimentary rocks and may have been precipitated from groundwaters during rock weathering near the Earth’s surface. Its dark green colour is produced by the presence of minor chromium in the variscite structure.

Gem Collection