mineral
Amethyst
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with iron impurities
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale lavender to deep purple; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal quartz termination; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale lavender to deep purple
- Luster
- Vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale lavender to deep purple; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal quartz termination; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins and volcanic geodes where silica-rich fluids cooled and crystallized under natural radiation and trace iron contamination.
Uses & applications
Used widely in gemstone jewelry, ornamental carvings, lapidary art, crystal healing collections, and as decorative mineral specimens.
Geological facts
Amethyst gets its purple hue from trace amounts of iron (Fe3+) in the quartz crystal lattice that have been exposed to natural gamma radiation. The name originates from the ancient Greek word 'amethystos', meaning 'not intoxicated', as it was believed to prevent drunkenness.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hexagonal prism shape ending in pyramids, glass-like luster, hardness (scratches glass but not topaz), and pale to intense purple zoning. Commonly found in Brazil, Uruguay, Madagascar, Zambia, and Russia.
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