Shortite Gemstone: Properties, Meanings, Value & More

Shortite is a lesser-known mineral and gemstone usually found as colorless or yellow wedge-shaped crystals. Part of the reason shortite isn’t well-known is because it dissolves in water, making it fascinating but not suitable for jewelry.

In terms of rarity, shortite is quite rare already as a mineral; it’s incredibly rare to find gem-quality shortite material, though it does exist.

We here at Gem Rock Auctions have been in the gemstone industry for decades. After over 1 million gemstones sold, we’ve learned the value of both well-known and underrated stones. That’s why we’ve written this guide to the underrated shortite, to teach you all about its properties, history, prices, and stand-out traits.

Pictured above: Gemmy, translucent yellow shortite crystals; Marcelle and Charles Weber Collection | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

About Shortite Stones

Shortite is a colorless, pale yellow, or pale green crystal very rarely used as a semi-precious gemstone. The stone doesn’t have any nicknames, but it does have the names shortit in German and shortita in Spanish.

Since it’s similar in appearance to heliodor, shortite could serve as an alternative November birthstone — though it may be harder to come by than heliodor.

Astrologically, shortite can also benefit the water sign Scorpio.

Shortite Uses

Deposits aren’t abundant enough for shortite to be a big industrial mineral, but it still has significant uses. For one, finding shortite is often an indicator that trona is around. You may not know trona, but you probably know what it’s processed into: baking soda!

Besides cooking and baking, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is also used in pyrotechnics, fire extinguishing, odor removal, cleaning, and medicine.

But shortite’s main use individually is in geological research.

In Australia, scientists have studied how shortite pseudomorphs with other microcline minerals in the ancient Callanna Group of Precambrian rocks (around 800 million years old).

In the lab, researchers have created synthetic versions of shortite and other sodium-calcium carbonate minerals to study their properties and formation conditions deep underground, particularly shortite’s formation in the Green River Basin of Wyoming, USA.

Shortite Specifications & Characteristics

As a sodium-calcium carbonate, shortite’s formula is Na2Ca2(CO3)3. It’s also described as an anhydrous carbonate like barytocalcite, as opposed to a hydrated sodium-calcium carbonate like gaylussite.

The mineral nyerereite, also very rare, is similar in composition with the formula Na2Ca(CO3)2 and an orthorhombic crystal symmetry. Nyerereite is even more fragile than shortite, with a Mohs hardness of just 2 and a tendency to break down upon contact with our atmosphere.

When it comes to habits, shortite usually forms wedge-shaped crystals, though crystals may also be tabular or prismatic. Shortite crystals are also often striated.

Shortite’s optic character is biaxial (+) with a 2V angle of 75°. The crystal is also notable for its strong pyroelectricity, meaning it conducts an electrical charge when heated.

Here are shortite’s properties listed:

• Mohs hardness: 3

• Color: Colorless, pale yellow, dark yellow, or pale green

• Crystal structure: Orthorhombic

• Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

• Transparency: Transparent

• Refractive index: 1.531-1.570

• Density: 2.60

• Cleavage: Distinct/Good on {010}

• Fracture: Conchoidal

• Streak: White

• Luminescence: Fluorescence present - Pale amber, pinkish-orange, or orange-brown in SW-UV

• Pleochroism: Sometimes present in pale yellow to green/greenish-yellow to colorless

• Birefringence: 0.039

• Dispersion: Moderate

Shortite History

American geologist and geochemist Joseph John Fahey (J.J. Fahey) first discovered shortite in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, USA, specifically the John Hay Jr. Well No. 1, about 20 miles of the city Green River.

Fahey reported his discovery in 1939, publishing his description of the new mineral in the 24th edition of American Mineralogist. In his paper, Fahey described finding crystals “several millimeters thick” that were “orthorhombic, hemimorphic, and simple in habit” with narrow striations.

The crystals were in clay shale deep underground — between 1,258 to 1,805 feet — discovered by Mountain Fuel Supply Co. as they drilled for oil and gas. The company’s chief geologist William T. Nightingale sent samples of the mineral to Howard Ira Smith, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Mining Branch Chief for testing.

At USGS, Chief Chemist Roger C. Wells conducted an analysis and found that the samples were almost entirely trona. Smith sent more samples to Fahey, who discovered crystals deeper in the core were a new “double carbonate of sodium and calcium.”

Fahey chose the name “shortite” to honor Dr. Maxwell Naylor Short. Short was an optical mineralogy professor at the University of Arizona as well as President of the Mineralogical Society of America.

Pictured above: Close-up of pale yellow shortite crystals from Canada | Image credit: Modris Baum, Public domain

Locality: Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire), Mont Saint-Hilaire, Rouville RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada

Shortite Healing Properties

As a commonly colorless healing stone, shortite’s meaning reflects the cleansing and inspiring properties of other colorless gemstones.

Physical Healing

According to crystal healers, shortite gemstones may help with issues related to:

• Muscle spasms or soreness

• Blood circulation

• Migraines

• Insomnia

• Immune system function

Emotional Healing

In the emotional realm, shortite is said to dispel negativity, facilitate positive self-expression, increase focus, promote harmony, and enable greater self-awareness.

Chakra Healing

Energy healers use crystals to open or balance one or more of the seven energy centers (chakras) in order to bring balance to your physical, emotional, and spiritual system. Shortite is used as a crown chakra stone.

The crown chakra is the highest chakra, governing enlightenment and connection with the universe. A blocked crown chakra can make you feel unfocused, directionless, or cut off from the world. Opening it again can allow you to feel greater spiritual connection and awareness.

Shortite Gemstone Value Properties

Since shortite gemstones are so rare, the standard grading criteria aren’t used. But we’ll still go over how these value factors may apply to shortite:

• Color: Generally, pale yellow shortite crystals with no undertones or zones of other colors are most valuable.

• Cut: Given the rarity of facetable material and low demand, faceted shortite gemstones are difficult to come across. More often, you’ll find rough (uncut) shortite crystals.

• Clarity & Transparency: Shortite gemstones with greater transparency and fewer inclusions will be more valuable than cloudier crystals.

• Carat Weight: Most shortite crystals are fairly small, and faceted gems are almost always under 1 carat. The largest known faceted shortite gemstone is 3.52 carats.

You’ll usually see it in uncut form, but how do these uncut shortite gems form in the first place?

Pictured above: Bright lemon-yellow shortite crystals with extended, pointy shape filling cast of what seems to be gonnardite coating another mineral, possible calcite | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Shortite Formation & Sources

Shortite often forms diagenetically — a process of transformation that happens as sediment becomes sedimentary rock. Usually, the formation happens in arid areas with saline lakewater that evaporates, leaving behind a solution of dissolved mineral ingredients.

The sodium and calcium precipitate, crystallizing into shortite right away or first crystallizing into another sodium-calcium carbonate mineral that gets buried and then transforms into shortite.

In carbonatites, mineral assemblages show a formation sequence from nyerereite to pirssonite to calcite to shortite.

Miners usually find shortite in clay shales, saline dolomite, kimberlite dikes, or large gabbro-syenite complexes.

Minerals often associated with shortite include:

• Pectolite

• Feldspar

• Trona

• Pyrite

• Nahcolite

• Phlogopite

• Magnetite

• Apatite

• Calcite

• Perovskite

• Olivine

• Natrolite

• Albite

• Loughlinite

Where is shortite found geographically, though?

Mining Locations

The most abundant locations for shortite minerals are Utah and the Green River Formation in Wyoming (USA). Shortite is also found in Canada, Russia, Turkey, and Tanzania.

Pictured above: Cabinet specimen with rich, gemmy shortite crystals embedded in sandstone from Wyoming type locality | Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Shortite Price & Value

Given their rarity, faceted gems are the priciest option for buying shortite. Faceted shortite gems go for around $300 to over $2,800 per carat, though the total cost is usually about $130 to $275 since the stones are almost all under 1 carat.

You can find rough shortite for sale for around $35 to $224, depending on the size, coloring, and quality of the specimen.

Shortite Care and Maintenance

Proper gemstone care is very important for shortite, as it’s a very soft mineral that will dissolve in water. It’s best to store shortite in a cool, dry, sealed container away from any source of humidity. Also keep shortite away from other gemstones to avoid scratches.

Ready to Shop for Shortite?

Shortite is a lesser-known but beautiful mineral. The subtle yellow hues and attractive wedge-shaped crystals, not to mention the alluring rarity, make shortite a great addition to any rare mineral collection.

Buy shortite and other unique gemstones today!