Amazonite gets its name from the Amazon River in Brazil, although no deposits of amazonite have actually been found there. So where are the major sources of amazonite around the world?
Russia
Russia is the location of the original amazonite deposits that gave this stone its name. The first amazonite was discovered in the 1830s in an area of the Ilmen Mountains in the Chelyabinsk Oblast region of Russia. This area contained abundant amazonite, and large crystals were extracted from the pegmatite deposits there.
For over a century, Russia remained the main global source of gem-quality amazonite. Some of the most prized Russian amazonite has a deep blue-green color with white striations running through it. While the Ilmen Mountains are still mined for amazonite today, many deposits have been exhausted after being heavily worked since the 19th century. Other locations for amazonite in Russia include the Lake Baikal region and the Voronzhovka River area.
United States
In the United States, the main source of amazonite is Colorado. Deposits were first discovered in Colorado in the 1870s, not long after amazonite was initially found in Russia. Mining began at the Crystal Park and the Rosita Hills deposits in Colorado, and these locations have been worked steadily for amazonite up until the present day.
The amazonite found in Colorado often has a lighter blue-green hue than the Russian variety. Some is also multicolored with smoky quartz mixed in with white, gray, yellow or brown. Colorado produces high-quality gemstone-grade amazonite that is cut and polished for jewelry. Other places in the US where amazonite has been found include Virginia, California and Connecticut, but the amounts are small compared to Colorado.
Australia
In Australia, amazonite deposits can be found in New South Wales, Northern Territory and Tasmania. The amazonite found in the New England area of New South Wales often has a dark green color with white flecks. Gem-quality stones have been mined in this area since the early 1900s.
The Northern Territory of Australia is now the country's major source of facet-grade amazonite. High-quality amazonite has been extracted from the Bumback Ranges and Merlinleigh Station areas here. Tasmanian amazonite is also often a deep green color, occasionally with a bluish tint. Deposits of amazonite have been found across the western and northeastern parts of Tasmania.
Africa
In Africa, amazonite deposits have been found in a few different countries. In Namibia, amazonite occurs near the Erongo Mountains. Some has also been mined in the Mufecia Pegmatites of Mozambique. These African amazonite specimens often have a dark green color and white streaks.
Perhaps the most famous amazonite locality in Africa is the Lake Manyara area of Tanzania. Striking deep blue-green crystals several centimeters long occur in the deposits here, scattered through the rhyolite host rock. Some of the top gem-quality amazonite has come from Lake Manyara.
Other Countries
A few other countries around the world also produce amazonite. In South America, some deposits have been found in Brazil as well as Minas Gerais, Brazil. Beautiful blue-green amazonite has come from these localities. Fine amazonite crystals have also been mined in Madagascar off the east coast of Africa.
In Asia, amazonite deposits occur in Mongolia and Turkey. The stones from Mongolia often have very fine color zoning with blue and green shades. Other places amazonite has been found include the Czech Republic in Europe and parts of Canada. Overall, Russia and Colorado remain the gold standard locations for acquiring high-quality amazonite gemstones.
The unique green and blue-green shades of amazonite set it apart from other stones. While it has not been found at its namesake site in the Amazon, major deposits spanning the globe have made amazonite widely available as an eye-catching semiprecious gem. The best amazonite prized by collectors and jewelers continues to come from the historic localities in Russia and Colorado that brought amazonite to the world's attention around 150 years ago.
