1.7" Amethyst Crystal Cluster - Las Vigas, Mexico

Las Vigas amethyst crystals are found in several locations around the Piedra Parada village within Veracruz, Mexico. The crystals are contained inside solid vesicles within various andesite rock formations throughout the mountainous region. Several mines operate throughout the andesitic rock formations, including La Cascada, La Callejones, El Bordo, La Flor, Ensenal, Los Volcanes, Torrecellas, La Mina Grande, and La Loma. These mines are worked by the owners of the land and the villagers of the region, making up the majority of their income. Most of these mines are only accessible through old hiking trails.

Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO2) that owes its violet color to natural gamma irradiation, iron impurities, and the presence of trace elements, which result in complex crystal lattice substitutions. It is considered a semi-precious gemstone, and just two centuries ago was considered to have a value on par with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. The largest and best known amethyst deposits occur in southern Brazil and Uruguay, where they are found in hydrothermally-formed geodes, but many localities around the world produce an amazing variety of amethyst crystals and formations. They are almost always formed in medium- to high-temperature geological settings.