< Editing Internet Texts < Gemstones

Amazonite

The name of this mineral derives from Amazonia, where native peoples used green stones as amulets. It turned out that those stones were, in fact, green jadeites, but the name stuck to the green to bluish green opaque gemstone variety of microcline.[1]

Amazonite is commonly mistaken with chrysoprase, serpentine or green jadeite.

Alexandrite

Basic properties

CompositionKAlSi3O8
ClassSilicates (tectosilicates)
Crystal systemTriclinic
Mohs' hardness6
FractureHackly
CleavagePerfect
LustreGlassy-pearly
StreakWhite
LocalitiesRussia, USA, Madagascar, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Kenya

References

  1. ↑ Minerały i kamienie szlachetne by RBA Collecionables, S.A., ISBN 978-83-7813-150-2, 2012.
This article is issued from Wikiversity. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.