By Steven Marquez
Amethyst is
the violet to purple variety of quartz. Amethyst
is often associated with albite and orthoclase in pegmatites. Fine specimens of
amethyst can be classified as semiprecious gemstones.
This
specimen was found in Cripple Creek Colorado as a near surface deposit on the David Leighton gold mine, owned by
Steven Wade Veatch across from the hardware and grocery store on Teller County
1. The short, stubby amethyst crystals
formed gas pockets in a hot, welded ash deposit that once covered the landscape
of Cripple Creek. Amethyst
is mined in great quantities from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. A deep purple amethyst is commonly found in
Uruguay.
The color
purple is a royal color which is why amethyst is often used in jewelry for
kings and queens. Amethyst was highly
valued by Egyptians. The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst was a protector
against intoxication. Amethyst is the
birthstone for February.
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| Figure 1. A stubby, pyramidal amethyst crystal from a gold mine in Cripple Creek. Specimen is from the Steven Veatch collection.Photo © by Steven Marquez. |
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| Figure 2. Note the faint crosswise striations on the surface of the amethyst crystal. This is one of the diagnostic features of quartz. Specimen is from the Steven Veatch collection. Photo © by Steven Marquez. |
FACTS ON FILE
Chemical formula: SiO2
Composition: silicon
dioxide; the color is caused by iron or manganese impurities
Color: purple,
greasy luster
Streak: white
Hardness: 7
Crystal system:
hexagonal
Transparency:
transparent to translucent
Specific gravity: 2.65
Luster:
vitreous
Cleavage: none
Fracture: conchoidal
Tenacity:
brittle
Group:
silicates, tectosilicates
Haiku: (a poem by Steven Marquez)
Brilliant purple
Never ceasing to amaze
Glowing like the stars
About the author: Steven Marquez is an Earth Science
Scholar with the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society. He has volunteered
hours working on the mineral collection at the Cripple Creek District Museum.
He is in the 8th grade and studies with the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups
and Earth Science Scholars.
