Amazonite or “Amazon stone” is a green variety of microcline feldspar. Certain green stones were formerly obtained from Amazon River, but it is doubtful whether actually green feldspar occurs in the Amazon area.

Amazonite is a mineral of limited occurrence. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from the area of Miass in the Ilmen mountains in Russia-where it occurs in granitic rocks. More recently, high-quality crystals have been obtained from Pike’s Peal Colorado and Crystal Park , El P County, Colorado.

Other localities which yield Amazonite include the Morefield Mine in Amelia, Virginia, Madagascar and Brazil. Because of its bright and attractive green color when polished, Amazonite is sometimes cut and used as a gemstone although it is easily fractured.

For many years, the source of Amazonite’s color was a mystery. Naturally, many people assumed the color was due to copper because its compounds often have blue and green colors. More recent studies suggest that the blue-green color results from small quantities of lead and water in the feldspar.