Amethyst is a variety of quartz and owes its purple colouration to irradiation, the impurities of iron and transition metals and the presence of other trace elements, that result in complex lattice substitutions. It is the hardness of this mineral that makes it popular in jewellery making.
This specimen originates from Brazil.
The Australian Museum Shop sources all the fossils, minerals and gemstones that we sell from reputable Australian wholesalers, whose local and international supply chains are the most sustainable and ethically credible in the world.
60x65x46mm, 245g approx