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 Post subject: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 9:28 am 
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I've been looking up amazonite on the Internet and in gemology books, and I've found very little information on Chinese amazonite. Most sources do not list China as a source of amazonite.

So what is Chinese amazonite? I've been purchasing said stone which ranges from a pale green to a darker blue-green. And I've also been unable to determine which color is the most desirable. One website said the lighter pale green is more desirable, but it seems the darker color often costs more.

Chinese amazonite also does not have striations like those found in Russian amazonite but seems chalkier with mostly white blotches.

Any help in understanding this stone is appreciated. Thank you.

Joanne


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 12:18 pm 
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Hard to speculate on what you are referring to without a photo.


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2013 12:28 pm 
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Sorry about that. I figured everybody knew what Chinese amazonite looked like.

Image
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:52 pm 
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amazonite is a form of plagioclase feldspar. feldspar is the most common mineral found in the crust of the earth. Moh's hardness = 6. Color and striations, etc. are dependent on the elements available at the time of formation and the temperature/pressure at which the mineral formed. Since the mineral is metamorphic in origin, and China has multiple mountain building regions (Tibet among others), it probably can be found there.

john

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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:03 pm 
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Amazonite isn't plagioclase, it's potassium feldspar (specifically microcline). Feldspars in general are typically igneous, not metamorphic.

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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:56 pm 
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Perhaps I am over thinking this, but I don't know why it is referred to as "Chinese Amazonite" and not simply Amazonite if there is not something else going on here.
Typically, the opaque, semi-translucent amazonite I've seen looks more like this:
Image

If you would like to send me some samples, I'd be happy to see if I can discover anything, no charge. :D


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 9:15 pm 
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That Chinese amazonite looks a little hinky. I'd suggest getting it tested.

Remember that Asian marketers have no interest in what the actual stone might be... witness the incredible variety of things called Chinese jade and Chinese turquoise.

Microcline is a very common mineral, and is normally much more attractive than the beads in the photo; personally I wouldn't touch that stuff.

Price wise, the deeper the green, the more amazonite is valued.

The finest Russian material, and the Virginia material, is awesome.


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 11:06 pm 
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We have done a bit more research on the beads represented as "Chinese Amazonite" and have compiled the following article for your edification. :!:
Click on the following link to download a surprising identification!
http://gemologyonline.com/amazonitepaper.pdf
A Special thanks to Alberto's testing on the GemmoRaman and Joanne's generosity in supplying the beads for testing.
[pdfview]http://gemologyonline.com/amazonitepaper.pdf[/pdfview]


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 5:14 am 
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Interesting, thanks! =D>

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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:27 am 
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Joanne Nelson also addressed the issue in her blog:
http://nelsongemstones.com/blog/552/wha ... amazonite/


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 Post subject: Re: Chinese Amazonite
PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 11:34 am 
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Thanks for posting that, Barbra.

And thanks SO much to you and Alberto for getting to the bottom of this mystery. Now when I test my "quartz" beads to see if they're actually glass, I'll have a piece of true quartz (so-called Chinese amazonite) to test against. :P


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