gemstone
Amethyst
Quartz (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectMohs hardness of 7; purple color ranging from pale lilac to deep violet; vitreous to dull luster; trigonal crystal system; no cleavage.
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Physical properties
Mohs hardness of 7; purple color ranging from pale lilac to deep violet; vitreous to dull luster; trigonal crystal system; no cleavage.
Formation & geological history
Forms in hydrothermal veins and gas cavities within volcanic rocks through silica-rich solutions cooling over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in jewelry, decorative ornaments, and metaphysical crystal collecting.
Geological facts
The purple color is caused by irradiation and trace amounts of iron impurities within the quartz lattice.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its distinctive purple color and conchoidal fracture, commonly sourced from Brazil, Uruguay, and Zambia.
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