Difference between revisions of "Amazonite"

Latest revision as of 11:28, 23 December 2022

Egyptian amulet
MFA Acc. #: 72.1106

Description

Amazonite (green microcline)

A pale green, opaque Microcline mineral. Amazonite derives its color from traces of lead and crystalline water (Aston et al 2000). Also called Amazon stone, it was used since about 3000 BCE for decorations, amulets, vessels, beads, and as a gemstone. Ancient examples have been found in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and northern India. Amazonite was considered one of the six most precious stones in Pharaonic Egypt. It is currently quarried in Russia and the U.S.(Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virgina).

Synonyms and Related Terms

Amazon stone; amazonstone; mother of emerald; green feldspar; microcline; Amazonit (Deut.); amazonite (Fr., Port.); amazonita (Esp.); amazoniet (Ned.)

FTIR (PMA)

IR-ATR (RRUFF)

Raman (RRUFF)

Raman (RASMIN)

Physical and Chemical Properties

Color = colorless, white, pale-yellow, brick-red, or green
Cleavage = perfect in one direction and good in another
Fracture = uneven, splintery
Luster = vitreous
Streak = white
Fluorescence = generally inert; may show weak yellowish green in LW
Pleochroism = absent

Composition	K2O-Al2O3-6SiO2
Mohs Hardness	6.0-6.5
Density	2.56-2.58 g/ml
Refractive index	1.522- 1.530
Birefringence	undetectable to 0.008

Comparisons

Properties of Gemstones

Resources and Citations

Gem Identification Lab Manual, Gemological Institute of America, 2016.
B.Aston, J.Harrell, I.Shaw, "Stone" in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 45-46.
Wikipedia: Amazonite (Accessed Sept. 10, 2005 and Dec 2022)
Mineralogy Database: Microcline
G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 316
Jack Odgen, Jewellery of the Ancient World, Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
Frank A. Lent, Trade names and Descriptions of Marbles, Limestones, Sandstones, Granites and Other Building Stones Quarried in the United States Canada and other Countries., Stone Publishing Co, New York, 1925
The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942
George Savage, Art and Antique Restorer's Handbook, Rockliff Publishing Corp, London, 1954

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:72.1106-SC157850.jpg|thumb|'''MFA Acc. #:''' 72.1106]]
+[[File:72.1106-SC157850.jpg|thumb|Egyptian amulet<br>MFA Acc. #: 72.1106]]
 == Description ==
+[[File:pm30211microcline.jpg|thumb|Amazonite (green microcline)]]
-A pale green, opaque [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=microcline microcline] mineral. Amazonite derives its color from traces of lead and crystalline water (Aston et al 2000). Also called Amazon stone, it was used since about 3000 BCE for decorations, amulets, vessels, beads, and as a gemstone. Ancient examples have been found in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and northern India. Amazonite was considered one of the six most precious stones in Pharaonic Egypt. It is currently quarried in Russia and the U.S.(Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virgina).
+A pale green, opaque [[microcline|microcline]] mineral. Amazonite derives its color from traces of lead and crystalline water (Aston et al 2000). Also called Amazon stone, it was used since about 3000 BCE for decorations, amulets, vessels, beads, and as a gemstone. Ancient examples have been found in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and northern India. Amazonite was considered one of the six most precious stones in Pharaonic Egypt. It is currently quarried in Russia and the U.S.(Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virgina).
 == Synonyms and Related Terms ==
 Amazon stone; amazonstone; mother of emerald; green feldspar; microcline; Amazonit (Deut.); amazonite (Fr., Port.); amazonita (Esp.); amazoniet (Ned.)
+[[[SliderGallery rightalign|Microcline, PMA.TIF~FTIR (PMA)|Microcline IR-ATR RRUFF R050150.png~IR-ATR (RRUFF)|Microcline Raman RRUFF R050150.png~Raman (RRUFF)|microclineRS.jpg~Raman (RASMIN)]]]
+== Physical and Chemical Properties ==
-[[File:image 5-amazon stone.jpg|thumb|Amazon stone]]
+* Color = colorless, white, pale-yellow, brick-red, or green
-== Additional Information ==
+* Cleavage = perfect in one direction and good in another
+* Fracture = uneven, splintery
+* Luster = vitreous
+* Streak = white
+* Fluorescence = generally inert; may show weak yellowish green in LW
+* Pleochroism = absent
-B.Aston, J.Harrell, I.Shaw, "Stone" in ''Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology'', P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 45-46.  Mineralogy Database: [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Microcline.shtml Microcline]
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
-[[[SliderGallery rightalign|amazoniteRS.jpg~Raman]]]
+! scope="row"| Composition
+| K2O-Al2O3-6SiO2
+|-
+! scope="row"| Mohs Hardness
+| 6.0-6.5
+|-
+! scope="row"| Density
+| 2.56-2.58 g/ml
+|-
+! scope="row"| Refractive index
+| 1.522- 1.530
+|-
+! scope="row"| Birefringence
+| undetectable to 0.008
+|}
 == Comparisons ==
@@ Line 19: / Line 40: @@
 [[media:download_file_396.pdf|Properties of Gemstones]]
+== Resources and Citations ==
+* Gem Identification Lab Manual, Gemological Institute of America, 2016.
-== Authority ==
+* B.Aston, J.Harrell, I.Shaw, "Stone" in ''Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology'', P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 45-46.
+* Wikipedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazonite Amazonite] (Accessed Sept. 10, 2005 and Dec 2022)
-* G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 316
+* Mineralogy Database: [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Microcline.shtml Microcline]
+* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 316
-* Jack Odgen, Jack Odgen, ''Jewellery of the Ancient World'', Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
+* Jack Odgen, ''Jewellery of the Ancient World'', Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
+* Random House, ''Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language'', Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
-* Random House, Random House, ''Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language'', Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
+* Frank A. Lent, ''Trade names and Descriptions of Marbles, Limestones, Sandstones, Granites and Other Building Stones Quarried in the United States Canada and other Countries.'', Stone Publishing Co, New York, 1925
-* Frank A. Lent, Frank A. Lent, ''Trade names and Descriptions of Marbles, Limestones, Sandstones, Granites and Other Building Stones Quarried in the United States Canada and other Countries.'', Stone Publishing Co, New York, 1925
 * ''The American Heritage Dictionary'' or ''Encarta'', via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
+* C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, ''Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
-* C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, ''Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
+* Thomas Gregory, ''The Condensed Chemical Dictionary'', Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942
+* George Savage, ''Art and Antique Restorer's Handbook'', Rockliff Publishing Corp, London, 1954
-* Thomas Gregory, Thomas Gregory, ''The Condensed Chemical Dictionary'', Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942
-* George Savage, George Savage, ''Art and Antique Restorer's Handbook'', Rockliff Publishing Corp, London, 1954
 [[Category:Materials database]]