Monazite Gemstone: Properties, Meanings, Value & More

Monazite is a yellowish- to reddish-brown mineral with a warm, earthy charm setting it apart from other gemstones.

Despite its rarity and importance in renewable energy, monazite holds a mysterious past, remaining largely unknown to many even today.

Keep reading to explore what makes monazite worthy of your interest — from its properties, history, uses, and other fascinating facts.

About Monazite Stone

Monazite’s name derives from Greek μουάζω, meaning “to be solitary,” alluding to both the semi-precious gemstone's rarity and isolated geological occurrence.

While not a zodiac stone in the traditional sense, many believe monazite holds powerful astrological properties benefitting all the zodiac signs.

What is monazite a main source of? This mineral is an essential renewable energy source, as it’s an ore of rare earth elements.

Which elements, exactly? Let’s find out.

Monazite Specifications & Characteristics

Monazite itself isn’t a rare earth element, but it is one of the more important commercial sources (along with bastnäsite and xenotime).

The rare earth elements monazite contains are cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, yttrium, uranium, and others. Sometimes, monazite is magnetic due to these elements — all used in a wide range of modern technologies and industrial applications.

However, monazite’s industrial uses aren’t always a sure thing.

The mineral is partially metamict, meaning it’s prone to structural damage due to prolonged radioactivity. This decay results from its radioactive contents gradually releasing alpha particles that damage monazite’s crystal lattice. The radiation damage causes the crystal to become amorphous (formless) and lose its crystalline structure.

How radioactive is monazite? Monazite is moderately radioactive, but this can vary depending on its composition. To be safe, check monazite’s radiation with a Geiger counter or similar device and always handle your gems with the proper precaution to minimize risks.

Here’s an overview of monazite’s mineral traits:

• Chemical formula: Ce(PO4)

• Mineral family: Phosphates

• Composition: Lanthanum - Cerium - Thorium - Phosphorous - Neodymium - Oxygen

• Mohs hardness: 5 to 5.5

• Color: Commonly brown to reddish brown; Shades of green, yellow, to grayish-white or colorless

• Crystal structure: Monoclinic

• Luster: Adamantine to resinous

• Transparency: Subtransparent to subtranslucent

• Refractive index: 1.77 to 1.86

• Density: 4.8 to 5.5

• Cleavage: {001} Distinct, {100} Indistinct

• Fracture: Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal

• Tenacity: Brittle

• Streak: grayish-white

• Luminescence: Slightly; Orange to green in SW-UV

• Pleochroism: Slightly; Colorless to yellow

• Treatments: Heating (to enhance color/clarity); Irradiation (to enhance luminescence); Surface-coating (to enhance appearance/color)

Image credit: Lucien Cluzaud, Public Domain

Monazite History and Uses

Monazite was named by German mineralogist and professor Johann Friedrich August Breithaupt in 1829.

Beyond that, monazite’s history is somewhat limited compared to other widely known minerals. Some sources say this is because monazite’s true nature and composition weren’t fully understood until around the 20th century, with the development of more advanced analytic tools.

In addition, monazite wasn’t a precious mineral until the mid-20th century, when it became recognized as an important source of rare earth elements.

The extraction and processing of rare earth elements from monazite is also a complex and difficult process — perhaps making it less attractive for widespread use until relatively recently.

Since it’s radioactive, does that mean monazite is used in nuclear power plants? Yes! Today, power plants all over the world use monazite to produce nuclear reactor fuel.

Besides nuclear energy, monazite’s industrial uses include:

• Glass production (lenses and prisms)

• Catalysts (in chemical reactions)

• Magnets (hard drives, turbines, and electric motors)

• Electronics (smartphones, televisions, and computers)

• Energy-efficient lighting (like LED bulbs)

• Aerospace components (jet engines and missile guidance systems)

• Electric vehicle components (batteries and motors)

• Medical (medical imaging devices and cancer treatments)

Metaphysically, what is monazite used for?

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Monazite Healing Properties

Almost all gems can be used as healing stones to aid your mental, physical, or spiritual wellness.

Here’s how monazite elevates your wellness:

Emotional Healing

Emotionally, monazite is known as a stone of positive energy. Many believe it enhances your zest for life, promoting excitement in the everyday.

This mineral may also have grounding capabilities. It’s thought to help stabilize the mind, help you break unhealthy patterns, and clear away self-hindering emotions.

Chakra Healing

Monazite is also associated with your sacral (or Svadhisthana) chakra directly under the navel. This is your hub of creativity, pleasure, emotions, and sensuality.

When blocked or imbalanced, you can experience emotional instability, lack of creativity, low libido, and difficulty with intimacy. Physically, you may experience reproductive or urinary issues, lower back pain, or kidney problems.

As a chakra stone for this energy point, monazite balances your sacral chakra. It stimulates confidence, creativity, and emotional stability. This makes it easier for you to feel pleasure, joy, and healthy sexuality.

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Monazite Gemstone Properties

Similar to other minerals like bayldonite or realgar, monazite isn’t a common gemstone. As such, there aren’t any standard grading processes to reference.

The mineral is more a collector’s item whose value can vary according to the following properties:

Color

Monazite occurs in various colors — commonly brown to brownish-yellow, while green, red, black, and colorless are less common.

The mineral’s most valuable color seems to be vivid green or bluish-green.

Monzanite’s color variations depend on the elements present in its crystal lattice. For instance, yellow and brown monazite often results from the presence of iron, while more uncommon hues result from the presence of uranium or rare earth elements (like cerium or praseodymium).

Cut

Monazite can be cut and faceted into several gemstone shapes, including ovals, rounds, and cushions. However, it’s extremely rare.

Cabochon-cut monazite is also an option but is less common than faceted gems.

Most monazite stones for sale are in their natural, uncut form. While more common, the value varies according to size and appearance.

Clarity

Due to monazite’s metamictization, specimens appear cloudy or opaque rather than transparent, often exhibiting a range of physical and optical anomalies.

Monazite is commonly included with various minerals or materials, depending on where it formed.

Size

Monazite typically forms as an accessory mineral in various types of rocks. It’s often extracted as small crystals or grains. Therefore, stones are usually small.

Large monazite is incredibly rare and expensive.

The interesting thing about monazite is that it's best known for where it accumulates, not where it forms.

Monazite Formation & Sources

Monazite forms during the crystallization of igneous rocks and the metamorphism of clastic sedimentary rocks.

Monazite is one of the more resistant minerals as these rocks weather, becoming concentrated in weathering debris. As a result, the soils and sediments surrounding weathering outcrops tend to have higher concentrations of monazite than the source rock.

The liberated grains of monazite then journey downslope, leading to a stream or dry wash. There, gravity and running water segregate the monazite and other heavy minerals from lighter ones.

They accumulate behind boulders and inside stream channels, working their way down into the lower portions of sediment deposits.

Others are washed to sea, accumulating in deltaic beaches or shallow water sediments.

Mining Locations

Since monazite is primarily a byproduct of heavy mineral sand mining, it typically occurs in coastal and inland deposits around the world.

What is the largest producer of monazite? Monazite mostly hails from Australia, India, Brazil, Malaysia, and Nigeria.

Other notable localities are:

• Bolivia

• Finland

• Madagascar

• Sri Lanka

• South Africa

• Switzerland

• Vietnam

• United States

So, what is the price of monazite?

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Monazite Price & Value

Since there isn’t a market for monazite gemstones, it’s hard to give an accurate idea of their cost.

Faceted monazite is extremely rare but has generally sold for around $80 to $100 per carat. However, there appear to be limited records of monazite cabochons for sale, making price estimation challenging.

You’re more likely to find rough monazite specimens for sale. They can range from $1 to $11 per gram depending on size and quality.

Lastly, is monazite safe to handle? Generally, yes, but there are some precautions you’ll want to take to care for your gems safely.

Monazite Care and Maintenance

Even though monazite does contain uranium and other radioactive elements, the mineral itself is only mildly radioactive.

Although the risk of radioactive or toxic exposure is low, there are some general guidelines you should follow to handle the gem safely:

• Always wash your hands before and after handling monazite to remove potential sources of contamination.

• Avoid eating or drinking while handling monazite to avoid accidentally ingesting radioactive or toxic materials.

• Store monazite in a well-ventilated area to minimize the potential build-up of radioactive gasses.

• Do not grind or polish monazite to avoid releasing radioactive dust that you can accidentally inhale.

• Limit your time near monazite to minimize any potential radioactive exposure.

Practice these basic precautions, and you’ll enjoy your monazite with peace of mind!

Make Moves with Monazite!

Monazite’s unusual origins and diverse industrial uses make it an incredibly valuable and interesting mineral.

Whether you are a mineral enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates beautiful gems with a dangerous edge, monazite will no doubt add a unique, eclectic touch to your mineral collection.

Buy monazite and other stunning gemstones today!