Most often, collectors go to a mine with more varied offerings and happen to pick up a few along the way.
Rockhounds are a tight group, but if you’re active in the community chances are you’ll find a good spot sooner or later. They’re not currently open, but it’s a great experience to look forward to.Īmethyst is of some commercial use, so a lot of smaller deposits are mined privately. Jackson Crossroads Mine is probably your best bet if you’re only looking for amethyst crystals.Īmethyst is also found in the Morefield Gem Mine, which offers the unique opportunity to dig in microcline/amazonite. There aren’t as many amethyst sites as you’ll find with stones like quartz or opal, but there are paid digs open to the public. On top of that, a lot of places where quartz crystal is collected also have amethyst. It’s usually identified by its lack of inclusions, but the color match is very close in most cases. You’ll mainly find it in surprisingly high-grade and low-priced cut gemstones. Synthetic amethyst isn’t very common, but it does pop up on occasion. These are usually treated in some way, so do your due diligence so you know what you’re getting. Occasionally a “pink amethyst” or other unique stone will make an appearance. Prasiolite, even the treated kind, can be a beautiful stone but without a certificate from an accredited gemologist you’ll never know if it’s natural.
More than that, nearly all prasiolite on the market has been subjected to either heat treatment or ionizing radiation to bring out the color. The stone known as green amethyst commercially is the mineral prasiolite. On occasion, you’ll stumble across stones described as “green amethyst.” This a misnomer, and it’s often used in a deceptive manner. Buyer Warning: “Green Amethyst” and Synthetic Amethyst When you’re looking at a stone in person the difference between pale, lavender amethyst and the bold purple of top-shelf stuff is striking. Ideal amethyst is purple with hints of red and high clarity. The grade of stone makes a far larger difference in price than size.Īmethyst grading is based on color saturation, clarity, and visible inclusions. Gemstones range from pennies to hundreds of dollars, and size doesn’t seem to be a big correlation.Īmethyst is valued for dark coloration and the undertones in the stone when used as a gemstone. If you’re into collecting gemstones, you may be confused by amethyst pricing.
The most common example is Chevron amethyst, which forms with a characteristic V-formation. Cabochons and slabs are often typed by the pattern. What Types of Amethyst Are There?Īmethyst is worked as a gemstone for jewelry as well. It’s common to see darker and lighter splotches of purple in the stone, for instance, and sometimes clear quartz is in there as well. Properly faceted amethyst with deep saturation and high clarity are prized for making jewelry.Īmethyst is known for “color zoning” within it’s crystals. The coloration is formed from natural radiation and trace amounts of Fe₃+ ions.Īmethyst can be a valuable gemstone in its own right. Both are common in the rock trade, and amethyst geodes range from golf ball-sized to bigger than a person! Since they’re relatively common you can find very affordable specimens of middling quality without difficulty. Another 20☌ and the formation could have been citrine, and if the crystals form between 420☌ and 440☌ then the final form is prasiolite.įor most of us, the main form of amethyst is in geodes and crystal points. Amethyst is macrocrystalline quartz with iron inclusions that cooled below 420° C(788☏) with a purple coloration.
0 kommentar(er)
