Mineral Factbook

Mother of pearl

Mineraloid

Mother of pearl is the nacre lining of mollusk shells. It is not an IMA-recognized mineral species.

Photos

Mother of pearl specimen photo
Mauro Cateb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Mother of pearl specimen photo
Mauro Cateb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Mother of pearl specimen photo
Sérgio Valle Duarte .mw-parser-output .messagebox{margin:4px 0;width:auto;border-collapse:collapse;border:2px solid var(--border-color-progressive,#6485d1);background-color:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#fbfcff);color:var(--color-base,#202122);box-sizing:border-box;border-inline-start-width · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Mother of pearl specimen photo
Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons

About Aragonite

Full reference data — crystallography, X-ray diffraction, and cited physical properties — is on the Aragonite species page.

FormulaCa(CO3)
Hardness (Mohs)3.5-4
Specific gravity2.93-2.95
Density (calculated)2.913
Crystal systemorthorhombic
Color rangered, violet, white
Lusterresinous, vitreous
Streakred