Detailed Product Description

Amazonite

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Microcline feldspar variety Amazonite with Smoky from Two Point Claim, Teller County,

Amazonite (sometimes called "Amazon stone") is a green variety of .

The name is taken from that of the , from which certain green stones were formerly obtained, but it is doubtful whether green occurs in the Amazon area.

Amazonite is a mineral of limited occurrence. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from the area of in the , 50 miles southwest of , , where it occurs in granitic rocks. More recently, high-quality crystals have been obtained from , , where it is found associated with smoky , , and in a coarse or . Crystal Peak, Teller County, is a well-known locality for crystals of amazonite. Some other localities in the yield amazonite, and it is also found in in .

Because of its bright colour when polished, amazonite is sometimes cut and used as a , although it is easily fractured.

For many years, the source of amazonite's color was a mystery. Naturally, many people assumed the color was due to copper because compounds often have blue and green colors. More recent studies suggest that the blue-green color results from small quantities of and water in the feldspar. (Hoffmeister and Rossman, 1985)