Stone Crescent Moons

One of the many members of the feldspar family, amazonite is the blue variety of microcline feldspar, named after the Amazon River for its intense blue hues. Metaphysically, amazonite is used to bring joy to life and balance for women. Fine specimens of amazonite are found in Russia, Brazil, Colorado, and China.

Lepidolite

A type of mica, lepidolite contains a substantial portion of lithium and is Earth’s most common lithium-bearing mineral. It is economically important as a major source of lithium, which is used in glass making, enamels, high-speed optical communications, and as a mood stabilizer.  Lepidolite is one of the few minerals containing significant quantities of rubidium, which is used to determine the age of rocks more than 10 million years old. Its name is derived from the Greek lepidos, meaning “scale.”  Metaphysically, lepidolite is used for soothing and calming the nerves.

Rose Quartz

Rose quartz is the translucent to transparent pink variety of crystalline quartz. Commonly found as a massive aggregate, it is rarely found as crystals. Its coloration has been attributed to traces of titanium, while its milky appearance may be due to inclusions of rutile, which can also give asterism (a star shaped figure) to the stone. Metaphysically, rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love and is used for emotional healing. Rose quartz can be found in the USA, Brazil, Madagascar, and Sweden.

Opalite

Opalite is a human-made glass made with fluorite, which contributes to the glow effect. Sometimes marketed as “Sea Opal,” it makes a nice opal lookalike. Metaphysically, glass is considered to be protective. Opalite is produced in China.

Amethyst

February Birthstone

One of the many members of the quartz family, amethyst gets its beautiful purple hue due to traces of iron. Deriving its name from the ancient Greek amethustos, amethyst literally translates as “not drunk” and was once believed to protect one against drunkenness. Many religions around the world have at one time or still do consider amethyst helpful in bringing one to a higher spiritual state and thus closer to god. Amethyst today is still used for spirituality and is considered the #1 addiction recovery stone. Amethyst is found in abundance in Brazil, Africa, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.A.

Goldstone

Goldstone is a brilliant sparkling glass available in reddish-brown, blue, purple and green. Soda-lime glass containing copper salts is melted in an oxygen depleted environment, and the copper salts decompose to create glittering metallic copper crystals throughout the glass. Green goldstone is made using chromium salts which create silvery crystals. Folklore suggests goldstone was accidentally discovered by medieval Italian monks practicing alchemy, but it was probably developed by Venetian glass makers in the 17^th century.