Nice 1.7" Amazonite Crystal - Teller County, Colorado

Amazonite is a green variety of microcline feldspar that is the state mineral of Colorado. It has recently received a lot of attention for its prominence on the reality show “Prospectors”, which follows several groups of Colorado mineral miners. In fact, most of our amazonite is sourced from some of the prospectors on the show. High-quality crystals are found at several locations in Colorado, often in vugs associated with smoky quartz.

Its name comes from the Amazon River, where the mineral was originally thought to be found, though is now doubtful to occur in the region. Its distinct blue-green color was originally thought to be caused by copper content, but it is actually due to very small quantities of lead present in the mineral. The lead is locked away in the crystal structure so it poses no health risk from handling.