Amazonite
Amazonite is a vivid blue-green variety of potassium feldspar (microcline) colored by trace lead and water impurities. Colorado's Lake George district produces the world's most vivid amazonite — a saturated teal-green that rivals any colored gemstone. The Pikes Peak Batholith pegmatites yield amazonite crystals alongside smoky quartz and topaz in jaw-dropping combinations.
Physical Properties
Chemical Formula
KAlSi₃O₈ (potassium feldspar)
Hardness (Mohs)
6–6.5
Color
Vivid blue-green, teal, mint green
Luster
Vitreous
Crystal System
Triclinic
Streak
White
Cleavage
Perfect in two directions
Specific Gravity
2.56–2.58
🔍 Field Identification Tips
Vivid blue-green to teal color is distinctive — no other common mineral has this exact color. Two perfect cleavage directions at nearly right angles. Hardness 6–6.5. Often found with smoky quartz and white albite in pegmatites. Distinguished from turquoise by cleavage, crystal form, and absence of matrix veining.
Varieties & Forms
📍 Where to Find Amazonite in the US
Uses & Applications
Jewelry, cabochons, carvings, decorative objects. Highly sought by collectors and lapidary artists.
💰 Collector Value Guide
Common rough: $5–$30/lb. Colorado teal amazonite: $20–$200/specimen. Top crystals on matrix with smoky quartz: $100–$2,000+.
Find Amazonite With Our Tools
Use the We Lick Rocks app to identify specimens, find dig sites, and connect with local rockhounds.