What is Labradorite,Sunstone,Amazonite

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Background on Feldspar Gemstones:
The name "feldspar" comes from "field stone", because when feldspar weathers, it releases large amounts of plant nutrients, such as potassium, which enrich the soil. Feldspars have particularly interesting effects with light. Moonstone seems to glow. Sunstone sparkles with reflected light. Labradorite is best of all. As you turn it, you can get a sudden glimpse of vivid peacock blue, or green. The Feldspar group of minerals has several notable members. Amazonite is the green variety, Moonstone comes in various shades from white to tan and gray. Othoclase is a transparent yellow variety, Labradorite or spectrolite flashes with spectral colors, and the orange-honey colored Sunstone sparkes and shines.

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Background on Labradorite and Spectrolite
Labradorite is named for Labrador, where it was first discovered in 1770. It is also found in Madagascar, India, Newfoundland, Finland, and Russia. Its distinctive flash of irridescent colors is known as "labradorescence." These beautiful flashes of color change according to the angle of light refraction, and may be somewhat metallic tints of blue, green, yellow, and pink, with the majority of the stone itself a dark grey in color. Spectrolite is a trade name for labradorite, owing to the spectal colors in the gemstone. Sometimes spelled spectralite.

The beauty and Use of Labradorite and Spectrolite
Labradorite is truely a fascinatingly beautiful material. Its a mineral whose charm is not fully noticed and may be overlooked if not viewed from the proper position. Generally a dull, dark looking mineral with no special virtue until the colorful shiller is observed glowing on the surface. Labradorite can produce a colorful play of light across cleavage planes and in sliced sections called labradorescence. The usually intense colors range from the typical blues and violets through greens, yellows and oranges. Some rare specimens display all these colors simultaneously. The color patterns of spectrolite are similar in that shown in nature with oil on water. It is rarely faceted, but often cut into attractive cabochons. A relatively soft stone, labradorite ranges from 6-6½ on the MOHS scale. It is popular as an ornamental stone and as well as a gemstone for use in jewelry. Labradorite is not enhanced.

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Background on Sunstone
Sunstone is a species of feldspar called "oligoclase" or known sometimes in the jewelry industry as "adventurine feldspar". It gets is shiller in the same way that labradorite does, but the background color is brown to orange to red. In addition, sunstone contains small hematite crystals that give it additional sparkle. The sparkle is known as aventuresence

Oregon Sunstone
Sunstone is the State Gem of Oregon, which is a prime source for this beautiful Gem. Cleaner Red sunstone is MUCH, MUCH rarer and commands true Gemstone prices! It is a rare and sought after collector's item. Oregon Sunstone differs from sunstones found in other worldwide locales in color, a strong pleochroism, and a glittering Schiller effect created by pure native copper. In fact, the presence of these bright inclusions was the reason for naming it Sunstone or Heliolite, from the Greek helios for sun and lithos for stone.

Mining and use of Sunstone
Oregon sunstones are mined from the surface from partially decomposed rock with a pick and shovel. Shallow pits are dug to retrieve the rough. Unweathered deposits release rough only by blasting and tunneling which often shatters the sunstone rough. The mining season averages approximately six months. In addition to the United States, India, Canada, South Norway and Russia are sources of sunstone. The Indian material is a medium dark orange, which is very attractive. Much sunstone is metallic in appearance due to reflective inclusions of red, orange or green crystals. A relatively soft stone, Sunstone ranges from 6-6½ on the MOHS scale. It is popular as an ornamental stone and as well as a gemstone for use in jewelry. Sunstone is not enhanced.

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History of Amazonite
The beautiful green of the Amazon jungle is reflected in the stone that bears its name, Amazonite. The Brazilian legend holds that the Amazons gave green stones to the men who visited them. This was believed to be amazonite, but if the legend is true, it was probably nephrite (jade). It was used extensively by the Egyptians.

Mining and use of Amazonite
Amazonite is a microcline feldspar, which means that it cleaves into rhomohedral chunks. Amazonite is found in the United States (notably in Amelia Courthouse, Virginia), Brazil, Zimbabwe, Russia, Australia, and Namibia. Amazonite is usually light green to blue-green, mottled and sometimes contains light striations. A semi-opaque stone that A relatively soft stone, Amazonite ranges from 6-6½ on the MOHS scale. It is popular as an ornamental stone and as well as a gemstone for use in jewelry. Amazonite is not enhanced.

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