Amazonite Gemstones - Type of microcline feldspar
Introduction
Although it is mainly mined in Brazil, this gemstone has been honored with the name Amazonite, after the Amazon River. The gemstone has never been found along the banks of the river, and this is why the name of the gemstone is a real mystery. Not one person can come up with the reason why even when the older generations who may know the myths behind the stone are asked.
Amazonite gemstone is a type of microcline feldspar, which has a blue green appearance, and it always has an artistic mottle look. The color of the stone, which is quite irregular varies from blue green to yellow green, and there are some stones that will have beautiful white streaks within. The colors of Amazonite are always natural and they can never be heat-treated by Man. The people who love this unique gemstone say that when the stone is viewed during sunset and sunrise, then the true beauty of the stone is revealed.
This is a gemstone that has a vitreous luster, with a transparency that is translucent to opaque. This is a rather soft gemstone with a hardness value of about 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. It has a perfect cleavage on one plane and a good one in the other, leading to the formation of prisms that are almost at right angles. It has a conchoidal fracture and is associated with minerals such as Muscovite, Plagioclase feldspars and quartz. It has a triclinic crystal system, and twinning is very common due to the fact that the crystals are almost at right angles in occurrence.
Copper is the mineral that has been said to be responsible for the colors of Amazonite. It has a color that is just like that which is found in gemstones that have copper. However, recent research says that the color of the gemstone may be due to the presence of lead and not really the copper. In the past, many people have mistaken fine specimens of amazonite to be jade. Mythically, people say that amazonite can be used to calm the emotions and soothe the nerves. It is said that one can be better able to express oneself when they have amazonite; it is said to have the strongest power of making a married couple much happier.
Amazonite is quite an abundant gemstone and can be found in many places in the world. The most abundant deposits are found in Colorado, and others in Brazil. There are some in countries such as Kenya, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Namibia and India. History annals have stories of amazonite that was mined in the great mines found in the Ural Mountains of Russia; today, the Russian deposits have been depleted.
A short profile of Amazonite gemstones
This is a gemstone that was also referred to as the Amazon stone; it is a strange variety of microcline feldspar. Although the name was taken from the Amazon River, it has never been found in areas near the river. There are those who believe that the name was given because there were many green gemstones that had been found in the river in the past. However, this is a misnomer given that this particular green gemstone has never been found in or near the river.
Despite the fact that the gemstone can be found in many places in the world, it is still said to have very limited occurrence. In the past the gemstone was almost exclusively mined from an area known as Miass, which is found in the Ilmensky Mountains, which are found about 50 miles to the southwest of Chelyabinsk, in Russia. Here it was found inside granitic rocks. However, in the recent past, there have been other deposits found in Pike´s Peak, Colorado, where it is found in associations with Smoky Quartz, Albite and Orthoclase; these are found in pegmatite or coarse granite. It is also possible to get small crystal deposits of amazonite in Crystal Park, in El Paso County, also in Colorado. In the United States of America, there are other deposits in Moorefield Mine found in Amelia, Virginia; In Madagascar and Brazil, the amazonite can be found within pegmatite rocks. This is a gemstone that has a brilliant green luster when it is polished and is sometimes used to make jewelry; the gemstone is easily fractured so it´s handling during wearing and cutting has to be very careful.
This is a gemstone that is popularly turned into a cabochon. It has a feature whereby it displays a schiller of light. The schiller of light is an occurrence that is brought about by inclusions in the gemstone. This is a lustrous refection of light from the planes in the grain of the mineral, and this is very similar to another occurrence that is known as iridescence.
It was always a mystery as to what caused the green mottled color of amazonite. Naturally, as with all green gemstones, people thought that the stone derived its color from the presence of trace amounts of copper; most gemstones having copper would either be green or blue. However, more research has suggested that the green color could be due to the presence of water and lead in the feldspar crystals.
This is a gemstone that has a lot of fascination, and has been around for quite a while, but it does not have too much myth surrounding it. It is said to be a gemstone that enhances creative expression so it is great for those who work in areas where the imagination must come across strongly. It is also said to align the astral bodies so that there is unity in life, and helps someone have a higher sense of self-worth. This is a gemstone that can soothe the psyche and moods so that one can be confident; it also works on the throat chakra. The fact that it inspires confidence and hope in the wearer, it is also called the hope stone. There is one person who said that the gemstone is also used to kick start lazy teenagers into action.
The Egyptians used this gemstone in many of the adornments and other needs. They said that it made them more courageous and they wore amulets made of these wherever they would go to war. There are those who said that this was a gemstone that was used by the legendary Amazonian Women warriors. It is said that these women ruled the area in the Bronze Age in some sort of matriarchal ruling system.
