Aventurine
Aventurine is a form of quartz, characterized by its translucency and the
presence of platy mineral inclusions that give a shimmering or glistening effect
termed aventurescence.
The most common colour of aventurine is green, but it may also be orange, brown,
yellow, blue or gray. Chrome-bearing fuchsite (a variety of muscovite mica) is
the classic inclusion, and gives a silvery green or blue sheen. Oranges and
browns are attributed to hematite or goethite. Because aventurine is a rock, its
physical properties vary: its specific gravity may lie between 2.64-2.69 and its
hardness is somewhat lower than single-crystal quartz at around 6.5.
Aventurine feldspar or sunstone can be confused with orange and red aventurine
quartzite, although the former is generally of a higher transparency. Aventurine
is often banded and an overabundance of fuchsite may render it opaque, in which
case it may be mistaken for malachite at first glance.
The name aventurine derives from the Italian "a ventura," meaning "by chance."
This is an allusion to the chance discovery of aventurine glass or goldstone at
some point in the 18th century. Although it was known first, goldstone is now a
common imitation of aventurine and sunstone. Goldstone is distinguished visually
from the latter two minerals by its coarse platelets of copper, dispersed within
the glass in an unnaturally uniform manner. It is usually a golden brown, but
may also be found in blue or green.
The majority of green and blue-green aventurine originates in India
(particularly in the vicinity of Mysore and Madras) where it is employed by
prolific artisans. Creamy white, gray and orange material is found in Chile,
Spain and Russia. Most material is carved into beads and figurines with only the
finer examples fashioned into cabochons, later being set into jewellery.
Main markets for aventurine are landscape stone, building stone, aquaria,
monuments, and jewellery. |
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