[3] It is transparent and bright orange in color,[5] occurring as intergrown, parallel stackings of crystals up to several millimeters in the largest dimension.

[3][5] The mineral dissolves slowly in water and quickly in cold, dilute hydrochloric acid.

[7] In addition to calcium and magnesium, magnesiopascoite contains minute quantities of zinc and cobalt.

[9] The two cotype specimens are held at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in the US State of California.

[3] In the area of the type locality, the reducing environment caused by carbonaceous material in the Salt Wash and Brushy Basin members of the Morrison Formation precipitated uranium and vanadium minerals from solution.