What it is confused with
Glass with foil backing and dyed stones. "Rainbow moonstone" is white labradorite sold under another name.
Gray with blue, green and gold flashes
Labradorite crystals
Labradorite is calcium sodium aluminum silicate — plagioclase feldspar, gray with blue, green and gold flashes, rated 6–6.5 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is linked to transition, intuition and protecting your own energy — attributed, not demonstrated.
- Mohs hardness
- 6–6.5 scratches window glass
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Main sources today
- Canada (Labrador) also Madagascar, Finland
Properties
Composition
Calcium sodium aluminum silicate — plagioclase feldspar
Hardness (Mohs)
6–6.5
Crystal system
Triclinic
Color
Gray with blue, green and gold flashes
Mined in
Canada (Labrador), Madagascar, Finland, Russia
Worth knowing
The flash — labradorescence — appears only at certain angles, caused by light bouncing off internal layers.
History
Described in Labrador in 1770; Inuit tradition held that the northern lights were trapped inside the rock.
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Buying
Buying Labradorite: fakes, value and treatments
What decides the price
Strong flashes of several colors across the whole surface are valued most. Finnish spectrolite, which shows the full spectrum, is the premium variety.
Where it is used
Cabochons, beads and carvings that turn to show the flash.
A less familiar fact
The optical effect is called labradorescence, after the stone — light interferes between thin internal layers.
Practical
Caring for Labradorite
How to clean it
Warm soapy water. No ultrasonic — feldspar cleaves.
How to tell it is real
Cheap imitations use coated glass. Real labradorescence appears only at certain angles and vanishes as you tilt; a coating flashes from every direction.
How hard is Labradorite?
Labradorite is a feldspar, like moonstone, so its weak point is cleavage: a sharp blow can split it. Vibration does the same damage, which is why ultrasonic cleaners are out. Moonstone and Pyrite share its place on our scale. Among the stones in this reference, the next softer is Opal (5.5–6.5) and the next harder Tanzanite (6–7).
Labradorite, at 6–6.5, is harder than 14 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 26.
Traditional associations
Labradorite is traditionally linked to transition, intuition and protecting your own energy. Chakra in crystal practice: Third Eye, Throat. Element: Water.
Questions about Labradorite
What is Labradorite made of?
Calcium sodium aluminum silicate — plagioclase feldspar, crystallizing in the triclinic system.
Where does Labradorite come from?
Canada (Labrador), Madagascar, Finland, Russia.
Can Labradorite be worn every day?
With care. At 6–6.5 on the Mohs scale it can be worn often, but watch out for sharp blows, which can split it along its cleavage.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “Labradorite Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/labradorite/
For Wikipedia
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