Amazonite

Amazonite sometimes called Amazon Stone is a mostly opaque sometimes transparent, verdigris-green to blue-green feldspar. The name is taken from that of the Amazon River, from which certain green stones were formerly obtained, but it is doubtful whether green feldspar occurs in the Amazon area. It comes in many varieties with lots of matrix or host rock, the most valuable and rare is the emerald green with no matrix.

For many years, the source of Amazonite's color was a mystery. Many people assumed the color was due to copper because copper compounds often have blue and green colors. More recent studies suggest that the blue-green color results from small quantities of lead and water in the feldspar.

Amazonite is a mineral of limited occurrence. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from Russia. More recently, high-quality crystals have been obtained from Pike's Peak, Colorado, where it is found associated with smoky quartz and a variety of other stones. Some other localities include Brazil, India, Kenya Madagascar and Namibia.

Amazonite provides for pacification and eliminates aggravation it soothes the emotional processes, providing for subjugation of worries and fears.  It is soothing to the nerves and dispels both irritating and negative energy.

Outside the geological community, only dedicated mineral collectors can tell all the types of Feldspars apart, but Amazonite stands out in a pretty homogeneous field due to its color.  Feldspars are a group of closely related minerals that together are the most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust.  Although there are many subgroups of Feldspars, there are only two that produce gems:  the potassium and the plagioclases.  Amazonite is plagioclase.  An unusual igneous rock consisting of only plagioclase is called anorthosite, which is a feldspar. A noteworthy occurrence of this feldspar is in New York's Adirondack Mountains and another one is the Moon.  Other popular feldspars include moonstone, labradorite, sunstone and aventurine.