Amethyst

The name of the mineral amethyst, like many others, is of Greek origin - amethyst is obtained from the word "amethyst" - non-drinker. It expresses the belief of the ancients that this stone protected its owner from drunkenness. Mineral is a beautiful blue or violet variety of quartz, used as a decoration like precious stones. Amethyst forms semi-free, sitting crystals with prism and rhombohedral planes and occurs in veins and voids among crystalline rocks, in druses of agate balls, in almond stones, etc. Its gloss is glossy, hardness 7. Beautiful violet or cherry The blue color, by which it differs from simple rock crystal, is not due to traces of oxides of iron and manganese, as was thought before, but an admixture of organic coloring matter.

The name of the mineral amethyst, like many others, is of Greek origin - amethyst is obtained from the word amethyst - non-drinker

Fig.1. Amethyst (size 18 cm, Dalnegorsk, Primorsky Krai, Russia)).

When calcining is about 250 degrees Celsius, the amethyst loses its color, gradually changing to yellow or greenish, and becomes colorless. This feature is often used by grinders, using artificially discolored amethysts in the guise of aquamarines or topaz. Close to the amethyst, the variety of precious corundum, known as the "eastern amethyst", differs from it in that it is painted with a beautiful violet-red color under artificial lighting, while the amethyst remains dull and gray under these conditions. Sometimes amethyst encapsulates thin plates of iron mica or needle crystals and then gets the name "hairy".

From amethyst at all times made jewelry and amulets. According to Arab legend, Queen Balkis owned a palace from it. In medieval Spain, amethyst was a remedy for memory loss and for the prevention of digestive disorders. Since he believed he was defending himself against drunkenness, he made cups for wine drinking from him, in order to make him less drunk. In Russia, amethysts decorated objects associated with the Christian rite - crosses, icons, bibles, altars.

Amethyst is formed under hydrothermal conditions, often found in quartz veins, recently grown artificially in laboratories, and the samples obtained are indistinguishable from natural ones.

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