mineral
Amazonite
Microcline Feldspar (KAlSi3O8)
Hardness: 6.0-6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-blue, teal, or blue-green with white streaking/veinlets. Luster: Vitreous to pearly. Crystal structure: Triclinic. Cleavage: Perfect at 90 degrees.
- Hardness
- 6
- Luster
- Vitreous to pearly
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6.0-6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Greenish-blue, teal, or blue-green with white streaking/veinlets. Luster: Vitreous to pearly. Crystal structure: Triclinic. Cleavage: Perfect at 90 degrees.
Formation & geological history
Formed in plutonic rocks, granite pegmatites, and high-grade metamorphic rocks through magmatic cooling. Its distinctive greenish-blue color is caused by trace amounts of lead and water within the feldspar structure.
Uses & applications
Popular as a gemstone for jewelry, beads, cabochons, carvings, and as decorative polished specimens for rock collectors.
Geological facts
Named after the Amazon River, though no deposits of Amazonite are actually found there. It is known as the Stone of Hope and has been used in jewelry and ornaments since antiquity, including ancient Egypt.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive blue-green color combined with typical feldspar blocky cleavage and characteristic white grid-like streaks. Commonly found in Brazil, Russia, Madagascar, India, and Colorado/Virginia in the USA.
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