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Amozonite
Pale green to blue-green semiopaque microcline
has bee used since time immemorial as an ornamental material.
was called amazonite in the belief that it came from th. Amazon
river.
Appearance It is usually light green, or
sometimes blue green or bluish with a mottled appearance and
sometime a fine crisscross network of light striations. It
is semic paque, with poor luster and easy cleavage.
It is cut into cabochons, or roundish pieces for necklace
and pendants, or carved into figurines and other items.
Distinctive features The
network of striations, usuali visible with a lens, distinguishes
it from certain jades c opaque beryls, which it can resemble
quite closely. Incip ent cleavage cracks, where present, are
also fairly chara: teristic.
Occurrence It is found in Brazil, but mainly in the Unite
States, Madagascar, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Australia, ar the Soviet
Union.
Value The value of the stone itself is low,
but expert fashioned and/or antique pieces (it was used by
the ar cient Egyptians) can be quite valuable.
Simulants and synthetics Amazonite was occasional
Above: Amazonite. imitated in the past by necklace beads made
from speci-Below: Crystal of types of glass. It is not produced
synthetically. orthoclase.
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