Only a select few of the most famous localities will be mentioned here. Small geode sections and tumbled stones are sold to amateur collectors, while more serious collectors go for the rare prismatic crystals and giant geode sections.Īmethyst is a very common mineral and is found worldwide. Large, massive chunks of Amethyst banded with Quartz is sometimes carved into ornaments.Īmethyst is also very popular among mineral collectors.
Most Amethyst is faceted into jewelry cuts, and some are cut as cabochons. It has a beautiful color and is fairly common, making it an inexpensive and widely used gem. May also be mixed together with Citrine.Īmethyst is one of the most popular gems. Sometimes banded with purple and whitish lines. Its purple coloring is usually caused by impurities of iron or manganese compounds. Amethyst also forms the internal lining of geodes, some of which can be over 10 feet tall and weighing several tons.įor additional information, see the gemstone section on Amethyst. Some varieties may also change to a light green color, which is given the trade name "Prasiolite", or "Green Amethyst", as it is more commonly known in the gem trade.Īmethyst is most prevalent as small stubby pyramidal crystals, although several localities such as the Mexican occurrences are well-known for producing elegantly tall prismatic crystals, which are very highly regarded by collectors. When used as a gemstone, Amethyst is often heat treated to deepen the color, or to transform it into Citrine. The color of some Amethyst specimens from certain localities slowly fade upon prolonged exposure to light. Its name derives from the Greek "amethystos", which means "not drunken", as Amethyst in antiquity was thought to ward off drunkenness.
It is the purple variety of the mineral Quartz, and its most valuable and prized variety. Amethyst is a well known mineral and gemstone.
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