This fairly dense, fragile mineral has distinct cleavage and is rarely cut as a gemstone. Crystals are yellow, green, or dark brown columnar prisms, with faces finely striated parallel to the crystal's length. Pleochroism is strong, showing yellow, green, or brown. Rock made up mainly of epidote may be polished or tumbled and sold as "unakite"

Dark green crystals occur in the Austrian and French Alps. Epidote is also found in the former 1 USSR, Italy, the island of Elba (Italy), Mozambique, and Mexico.

Most emerald used in historical jewellery would have been from Cleopatra's mines in Egypt's, which now yield only poor-quality emeralds.