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[[Image:Amethyst.jpg|left|215px]]

[[Image:Amethyst.jpg|left|215px]]

'''Amethyst''' is a variety of transparent [[quartz]], used as a gemstone in jewelry. It is a deep clear violet or purple color, and has a hardness rating of 7 on the [[hardness|Moh's Scale]]. Russia is known for producing quality amethysts, and large quantities come from [[Brazil]] and [[Zambia]]. They are also found in [[Africa]], Uruguay, [[Sri Lanka]], in [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]], and in the United States in [[Texas]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[North Carolina]] and [[Maine]]. <ref>http://24carat.co.uk/amethystframe.html</ref> The chemical name for Amethyst is Silicon Dioxide. <ref>http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele014.html</ref> The word amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" that means "not intoxicated", <ref>http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/amethyst.html</ref> and was probably due either to an (unproven) belief that it would keep the wearer from becoming drunk, or because of the deep purple wine color of the stone. <ref>http://www.galleries.com/minerals/gemstone/amethyst/amethyst.htm</ref> Amethyst is the [[birthstone]] for [[February]].

'''Amethyst''' is a variety of transparent [[quartz]], used as a gemstone in jewelry. It is a deep clear violet or purple color, and has a hardness rating of 7 on the [[hardness|Moh's Scale]]. Russia is known for producing quality amethysts, and large quantities come from [[Brazil]] and [[Zambia]]. They are also found in [[Africa]], Uruguay, [[Sri Lanka]], in [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]], and in the United States in [[Texas]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[North Carolina]] and [[Maine]].<ref>http://24carat.co.uk/amethystframe.html</ref> The chemical name for Amethyst is Silicon Dioxide.<ref>http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele014.html</ref> The word amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" that means "not intoxicated",<ref>http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/amethyst.html</ref> and was probably due either to an (unproven) belief that it would keep the wearer from becoming drunk, or because of the deep purple wine color of the stone.<ref>http://www.galleries.com/minerals/gemstone/amethyst/amethyst.htm</ref> Amethyst is the [[birthstone]] for [[February]].

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:minerals]]

[[Category:Minerals]]

[[Category:Gems]]

[[Category:Gems]]

[[Category:Birthstones]]

[[Category:Birthstones]]