Amazonite
A variety of Microcline
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About Amazonite
Formula:
K(AlSi3O8)
Name:
Named in 1847 by Johann Friedrich August Breithaupt for an unspecified type locality area "near" the Amazon River.
A green to blue-green variety of K-feldspar, usually microcline, but sometimes applied to orthoclase.
The color is usually caused by an elevated content of Pb (up to 1.2% PbO, Arnaudov et al., 1967; up to 3.8 mol% PbAl2Si2O8 in green amazonite from Broken Hill according to Murakami et al. 2000).
However, there are also indications that the green color of some microcline is caused by divalent Fe (Szuszkiewicz & Kรถrber, 2010). Overenthusiastic uses of this name include giving this name to slightly gray-green hues in microcline that are often photosensitive and turn from greenish gray to light smoky gray. Sunlight can sometimes enrich the color of genuine amazonite.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Amazonite.
The color is usually caused by an elevated content of Pb (up to 1.2% PbO, Arnaudov et al., 1967; up to 3.8 mol% PbAl2Si2O8 in green amazonite from Broken Hill according to Murakami et al. 2000).
However, there are also indications that the green color of some microcline is caused by divalent Fe (Szuszkiewicz & Kรถrber, 2010). Overenthusiastic uses of this name include giving this name to slightly gray-green hues in microcline that are often photosensitive and turn from greenish gray to light smoky gray. Sunlight can sometimes enrich the color of genuine amazonite.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Amazonite.Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
184 (as Amazonite)
2704 (as Microcline)
2704 (as Microcline)
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:184:7 (as Amazonite)
mindat:1:1:2704:1 (as Microcline)
mindat:1:1:2704:1 (as Microcline)
Chemistry of Amazonite
Mindat Formula:
K(AlSi3O8)
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Synonyms of Amazonite
Other Language Names for Amazonite
Dutch:Amazoniet
Estonian:Amasoniit
French:Amazonite
German:Amazonit
Hebrew:ืืืืืื ืื
Lithuanian:Amazonitas
Polish:Amazonit
Portuguese:Amazonite
Russian:ะะผะฐะทะพะฝะธั
Simplified Chinese:ๅคฉๆฒณ็ณ
Spanish:Amazonita
Swedish:Amazonsten
Traditional Chinese:ๅคฉๆฒณ็ณ
Ukrainian:ะะผะฐะทะพะฝัั
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 545 photos of Amazonite associated with 'Smoky Quartz' | SiO2 |
| 175 photos of Amazonite associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 156 photos of Amazonite associated with 'Cleavelandite' | Na(AlSi3O8) |
| 90 photos of Amazonite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 81 photos of Amazonite associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
| 70 photos of Amazonite associated with Schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
| 47 photos of Amazonite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 37 photos of Amazonite associated with Topaz | Al2(SiO4)(F,OH)2 |
| 25 photos of Amazonite associated with Biotite | K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2 |
| 25 photos of Amazonite associated with Fluor-schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3F |
Radioactivity
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Amazonite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
Internet Links for Amazonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-184.html
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References for Amazonite
Reference List:
ฤech, F., Mรญsaล, Z., Povondra, P. (1971) A green lead-containing orthoclase. TMPM Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 15 (3). 213-231 doi:10.1007/bf01087023
Blasi, Achille, Brajkovic, Anna, De Pol Blasi, Carla, Foord, Eugene E., Martin, Robert F., Zanazzi, Pier Francesco (1984) Structure refinement and genetic aspects of a microcline overgrowth on amazonite from Pikes Peak batholith, Colorado, U.S.A. Bulletin de Minรฉralogie, 107 (3) 411-422 doi:10.3406/bulmi.1984.7771
Hofmeister, Anne M., Rossman, George R. (1985) A spectroscopic study of irradiation coloring of amazonite: structurally hydrous, Pb-bearing feldspar. American Mineralogist, 70 (7-8) 794-804
Petrov, Ivan, Mineeva, R. M., Bershov, L. V., Agel, Andreas (1993) EPR of [Pb-Pb]3+ mixed valence pairs in amazonite-type microcline. American Mineralogist, 78 (5-6) 500-510
Julg, A. (1998) A theoretical study of the absorption spectra of Pb + and Pb 3+ in site K + of microcline: application to the color of amazonite. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 25 (3) 229-233 doi:10.1007/s002690050108
MURAKAMI, Hideki, TAKASHIMA, Isao, NISHIDA, Norimasa, SHIMODA, The late Susumu, MATSUBARA, Satoshi (2000) Solubility and behavior of lead in green orthoclase (amazonite) from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. Journal of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, 95 (3) 71-84 doi:10.2465/ganko.95.71
Localities for Amazonite
Showing 384 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
โ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Pikes Peak, El Paso County, Colorado, USA