Amethysts

Amethysts are purple gemstones that have been highly prized since the times of the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and, today, they are used in all types of jewellery as well as being popular crystals. They are a type of quartz, a mineral found all over the world that comes in many different colours.

Though amethysts are purple, the exact shade can range from very deep purples to light violet shades with colour banding.  The most sought after stones are a deep purple colour, that are not too dark, and have good colour saturation, clarity, and size.

Amethyst is the traditional birthstone for February

History of Amethyst

As amethysts have been known about for millennia, many cultures have attached beliefs and lore to the stone.  The Ancient Greeks believed the stone could protect against intoxication, in fact, the Ancient Greek word ‘amethystos’ means ‘not drunk’. There are examples of drinking vessels carved from amethysts, however, it is not known how effective these were in preventing drunkenness.

A lot of amethysts that we have found from the time of Ancient Eygpt are carvings.

In medieval times, knights would wear amethyst amulets into battle as they believed the stone would keep them cool-headed and could heal them.

Are Amethysts Ethical?

In 2021, it’s possible to buy amethysts and amethyst jewellery that has been ethically sourced and manufactured, but how do you know? Whether an item is ‘ethical’  depends on exactly where the stone was mined and how it has travelled from the mine to the final customer and unless you know this journey, at every stage, you have no way of knowing whether it’s ethical.

What stages to gemstones go through and what are the issues surrounding them?

The Mine

A lot of the issues in the gemstone supply chain begin at the mine, where people work to extract the stones from underground. The conditions at the mine are very important for the safety of the workers. There are many hazards that come with working underground.

The pay the workers receive is also very important as is the ownership and legality of the mine.  

In addition, mining can have a long lasting impact on the environment, unless the mining company is committed to restoring the land.

Cutting

The process of cutting gemstones can present health and safety issues for workers, particularly Silicosis, which can be fatal.

The conditions in which the workers cut stones can be very basic and forced labour or extremely low pay in cutting workshops has been documented.

Trading

This means whose hands have the gemstones passed through and who is making money from the sale of them.  

A lot of the time a gemstone will be affected by more than one of these issues, though it’s entirely possible for just one of these issues to be involved.

Where do amethysts come from?

Amethysts are found in many places around the world, however, there are some locations that are particularly rich in amethyst deposits.  Brazil is probably the best-known source and large deposits were found there in the early 19th century, specifically in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, though today they are found in many locations in Brazil.

Zambia, in south-west Africa, is another prolific producer of Amethyst and is said to export 1000 tons annually. Other countries in the region such as Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe also produce Amethysts in smaller quantities.

They are also found in India, North America, Uruguay, Canada, Russia, Austria and South Korea, Australia, and Mexico. 

How are amethysts mined?

Mining amethyst and all types of quartz is almost always small scale though companies and individuals can own and operate a number of mining claims in an area.

At first, Amethysts are typically discovered relatively close to the surface and extraction can be done by hand. This depends on the exact geologic setting the stone is found in.  If there is a vein then that can be followed underground in which case more machinery and resources are required.

In Brazil, Amethysts are found in 3 types of geological setting so stones from Brazil could come from mines that operate differently.  This demonstrates how, if you want to purchase an ethically sourced gemstone, you need to know which mine it came from rather just which country.

Though Canada is not a commercially significant exporter of amethyst (sorry Canada but it’s true) it does have deposits and the Thunder Bay area is home to a number of mines that operate as attractions where you can ‘mine your own Amethyst’.

Amethyst mines can be either open or closed pit. The largest open-pit mine in the world is located in Maissau, South Austria, which is also run as a tourist attraction.

Where are amethysts cut?

Once a crystal has been mined it will often to be cut and polished before it is set into jewellery.  Cutting and polishing of minerals is known as ‘lapidary’ and is done in workshops all over the world though there some important geographical centres where a large proportion of the world’s gemstones are ‘manufactured’.

India and Thailand are the two largest and there are notable cutting industries in Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka.  Almost all of the worlds Amethysts will be cut in one of these locations.

If, when you are looking at items of Amethyst jewellery, you would like to know where the stone was cut you can ask the seller.

Amethyst jewellery

Amethysts are a popular gemstone in all types of jewellery and can be worn in rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces.  The only drawback is that as a relatively soft stone that measures 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, amethyst is not suitable for rings that will be worn every day, such as an engagement ring.

Jewellery containing Amethysts can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner unless large cracks are clearly visible within the stone in which case it is best to use warm soapy water and a toothbrush.

Amethyst treatments

As with many other gemstones, Amethysts can be treated to enhance their natural features and make them more suitable for jewellery.  Very dark Amethysts can be heat treated to lighten their colour and this can also help to remove unwanted brown inclusions.(GIA)