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Purple color has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that Amethyst has been so popular through the history. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. There are evidences that around 3,000 B. C. in Egypt and in anterior Asia were made jewels of Amethyst. The Amethyst is perhaps as popular today as it was in ancient times.
The finest quality Amethyst is medium in tone, vivid in intensity, and reddish purple to bluish purple in hue. Heating removes the color from amethyst or changes it to the yellow of citrine. Most commercial citrine is made in this manner. Amethyst is the most valuable transparent, coarse-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz. It contains more iron oxide Fe2O3 than any other variety of quartz, and experts believe that its color arises from its iron content. All forms of quartz (including amethyst) are piezoelectric, making for important applications in electronics. Tourmaline is the only other gemstone that possesses this property.
Amethyst is associated with spiritual awareness, meditation, balance, psychic abilities, inner peace, healing and positive transformation. Keep it under your pillow to cure insomnia and develop intuitive powers. Also relieves stress and brings calmness in times of grief. It is said to Protect against blood diseases, toxic effects of substances, acne, neuralgia and fits.
Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, Siberia, Canada, India, Bolivia, and Argentina and some African countries. Zambia is a significant source for Amethyst. Generally, amethyst from South America tends to be available in larger sizes than African amethyst but amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having better, more saturated, color in small sizes. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, is also mined in Australia.
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