mineraloid (man-made)

Goldstone (Brown)

Aventurine glass

Hardness: 5.5-6 (Mohs scale), Color: Reddish-brown with golden metallic specks, Luster: Vitreous, Crystal structure: Amorphous (glass) containing copper crystals, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific gravity: 2.5-2.8

Hardness: 5

Identified June 6, 2026More mineraloid (man-made) →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Created through a specific heating and cooling process in a low-oxygen environment where copper salts are dissolved in molten glass and eventually precipitate as metallic crystals; historically attributed to 17th-century Venetian glassmakers.

Uses & applications

Primarily used for decorative purposes, jewelry (beads, cabochons), carvings, and metaphysical collecting.

Geological facts

Although often mistaken for a natural mineral, Goldstone is a synthetic glass. It is accidentally called 'Aventurine glass' because its discovery predates the naming of the natural mineral Aventurine, which was named for its resemblance to this glass.

Field identification & locations

Identify by the presence of internal metallic platelets (aventurescence) and a glassy surface with conchoidal fractures. It is commonly sold at gem and mineral shows as a healing stone.