mineral

Amazonite

Microcline feldspar (KAlSi3O8)

Hardness: 6 on the Mohs scale. Color: Bright turquoise-green to blue-green with white striations. Luster: Vitreous to pearly. Crystal structure: Triclinic. Cleavage: Good in two directions at near right angles. Specific gravity: 2.56-2.58.

Hardness: 6 on the Mohs scale
Color: Bright turquoise-green to blue-green with white striations
Luster: Vitreous to pearly

Identified August 5, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms primarily in granitic pegmatites and hydrothermal veins, where slow cooling of magma allows large crystals to grow with trapped lead and water molecules giving it the characteristic color.

Uses & applications

Used mainly as a gemstone in jewelry, for ornamental carvings, and by mineral collectors.

Geological facts

Amazonite was named after the Amazon River, though no deposits are actually known to occur in the Amazon basin; similar green stones found there were likely confused with it.

Field identification & locations

Easily identified by its distinctive bright turquoise-green color and characteristic grid-like white albite striations (tartan twinning). Commonly found in the USA (Colorado), Russia, Brazil, and Madagascar.