According to the statements of M&M, they do not use any child labour, and for safety reasons, the miners must have regular training, which is reassuring for those concerned about ethical jewellery. The following information about the producing process is taken from their website.
Unlike traditional mining, gemstone mining involves the use of non-destructive, selective methods. For that reason, no explosives are used and all the extraction of gems is carefully done by hand. The manufacturing process begins by sawing the stones, followed by pre-forming, which is done by hand as well. During this process the stone gets its special shape. After that the stone receives its faceting and in the end the polish, which gives it its brilliant shine.
Traditionally, the Ametrine is cut into rectangular shapes, trying to divide the yellow and purple colours into two halves. A more modern, experimental style is to blend the citrine’s honey and the amethyst’s lavender in order to have a mix of colours, “where purple and yellow appear randomly throughout the stone” (Ramiro Rivero). It is also quiet popular among artistic cutters and carvers, who love to work with colours in a more playful way, to create landscapes shining through the stone. In addition to these designs, it is getting more and more common to add a checkerboard pattern at the top of the gem to make the most of the glittering reflections.
Independent of size, modern or traditional style, with or without checkerboard: At the very end of the procedure of mining, processing and carving, all of the specialized workers involved have created a unique piece of jewellery art.
The popularity of the gem seems to extend all over the American continent. Due to its range of colours, its availability in different sizes and styles, more prizes for gems have been awarded to the Ametrine over the past few years at the American Gem Trade Association’s Cutting Edge and Spectrum competitions than any other gem stone.
Sunday 26 February 2012
Saturday 25 February 2012
CHAKRA
Chakra Classification:
Like its other quartz siblings and cousins, Ametrine can be a powerful healing tool. Its dual nature makes it very effective at removing blockages in any Chakra, assisting you in achieving a healthy physical balance.
The gem's dark nature helps to release emotional damage and replace the void left behind with healing light. Often, injured humans are afraid to let go of the damage that has happened. Preferring to feel the pain than face the prospect of feeling nothing at all.
Ametrine is related to the 7th, or Crown Chakra and the 1st, or Root Chakra. It should be used with caution during meditation, as it greatly enhances concentration as well as intuition, but if use for too long a period of time it can lead to inner imbalances.
Like its other quartz siblings and cousins, Ametrine can be a powerful healing tool. Its dual nature makes it very effective at removing blockages in any Chakra, assisting you in achieving a healthy physical balance.
The gem's dark nature helps to release emotional damage and replace the void left behind with healing light. Often, injured humans are afraid to let go of the damage that has happened. Preferring to feel the pain than face the prospect of feeling nothing at all.
Ametrine is related to the 7th, or Crown Chakra and the 1st, or Root Chakra. It should be used with caution during meditation, as it greatly enhances concentration as well as intuition, but if use for too long a period of time it can lead to inner imbalances.
MAGICAL PROPERTIES
Energy: Receptive
Element: Water
Powers: Healing, understanding, openness with the All
Ametrine is very much its own crystal, with its own dramatic formation process, its own unique energies and its own story.
The ametrine's duality makes it a powerful companion for creative, healing and psychic workings. Purple and gold/yellow are opposite of each other on the color wheel, and yet are very complimentary to each other. A royal purple robe is even more stunning when decorated with gold trim.
In this one crystal you can utilize the cool dark powers of the purple night and the bright warm strength of the sunny day. If you perform readings, work in the astral plane, wish to communicate with spirits, energies and guides in alternative worlds, Ametrine is extremely effective at opening these psychic doorways. It will provide protection as you journey through these unfamiliar landscapes, and light your way back to familiar ground.
Element: Water
Powers: Healing, understanding, openness with the All
Ametrine is very much its own crystal, with its own dramatic formation process, its own unique energies and its own story.
The ametrine's duality makes it a powerful companion for creative, healing and psychic workings. Purple and gold/yellow are opposite of each other on the color wheel, and yet are very complimentary to each other. A royal purple robe is even more stunning when decorated with gold trim.
In this one crystal you can utilize the cool dark powers of the purple night and the bright warm strength of the sunny day. If you perform readings, work in the astral plane, wish to communicate with spirits, energies and guides in alternative worlds, Ametrine is extremely effective at opening these psychic doorways. It will provide protection as you journey through these unfamiliar landscapes, and light your way back to familiar ground.
HEALING PROPERTIES
Physically ametrine strengthens the nerves, promotes the supply of oxygen to the body and helps to encourage the healing process after a serious illness. The gem will stimulate the activity of the brain and enhance the wearer's emotion life and creativity. I combats the hardening of the arteries as well as dementia, deafness and eye complaints. Worn about the neck, near the thyroid glad, it can reduce trembling, sweating and bushing.
An ametrine elixir may help to remove toxins from the body. It may also be beneficial in lessening or alleviating some of the symptoms of physical illness. Your body may be less achy from fever, and your head less miserable with congestion if you are carrying an Ametrine while sick. The gem may improve immunity and assist the body in absorbing oxygen. Patients preparing for implants or artificial limbs and organs may find an Ametrine companion helps their body becoming more accepting of the foreign object.
Meditations with Ametrine will help you achieve calm quicker, allowing you to more easily access alternative states. Portals to new dimensions, new perceptions and new ideas are open for you to discover your greatest potential.
An ametrine elixir may help to remove toxins from the body. It may also be beneficial in lessening or alleviating some of the symptoms of physical illness. Your body may be less achy from fever, and your head less miserable with congestion if you are carrying an Ametrine while sick. The gem may improve immunity and assist the body in absorbing oxygen. Patients preparing for implants or artificial limbs and organs may find an Ametrine companion helps their body becoming more accepting of the foreign object.
Meditations with Ametrine will help you achieve calm quicker, allowing you to more easily access alternative states. Portals to new dimensions, new perceptions and new ideas are open for you to discover your greatest potential.
MYSTICAL PROPERTIES
Ametrine is said to have all the metaphysical properties of both amethyst and citrine combined, as well its own unique properties. Ametrine energies are said to stimulate the intellect and rid the aura of negative energy.
It helps you recognize the divinity within all, thus eliminating prejudice. It helps release old programs in the mind and attunes you to higher states of consciousness in meditation.
For those engaged in what you believe to be mundane activities, ametrine teaches you to balance your physical activities with your spiritual hunger. Workaholics learn to pause and enjoy the fruits that your labors provide. Procrastinators discover the empowering joy of fully completing a task and the rewards one reaps when a goal is finally achieved. Those that walk among the clouds suddenly find purpose in touching the Earth.
If you walk with fear, ametrine will reveal your hidden warrior to you. If you move with detailed precision, executing well thought out plans, your gem will show you the power of serendipity and taking a chance.
When eyes are blind to the plight of others, this stone will help bring the connection and responsibility we share with every resident of our planet.
Ametrine teaches you these simple, unrelenting connections. There is no life without death. You cannot know joy if you have not known sadness. You are not safe as long as another is in danger. The duality of the ametrine.
It helps you recognize the divinity within all, thus eliminating prejudice. It helps release old programs in the mind and attunes you to higher states of consciousness in meditation.
For those engaged in what you believe to be mundane activities, ametrine teaches you to balance your physical activities with your spiritual hunger. Workaholics learn to pause and enjoy the fruits that your labors provide. Procrastinators discover the empowering joy of fully completing a task and the rewards one reaps when a goal is finally achieved. Those that walk among the clouds suddenly find purpose in touching the Earth.
If you walk with fear, ametrine will reveal your hidden warrior to you. If you move with detailed precision, executing well thought out plans, your gem will show you the power of serendipity and taking a chance.
When eyes are blind to the plight of others, this stone will help bring the connection and responsibility we share with every resident of our planet.
Ametrine teaches you these simple, unrelenting connections. There is no life without death. You cannot know joy if you have not known sadness. You are not safe as long as another is in danger. The duality of the ametrine.
SCIENTIFIC PROPERTIES
Scientific Properties:
Mohs Hardness of 7 with a trigonal crystal structure.
Also known as trystine or by it's trade name bolivianite, it is a naturally occurring variety of quartz. It is a "mixture" of amethyst and citrine with zones of purple and of yellow or orange, but yet a crystal of it's own, not just a mixture of it's two cousins. Most all commercially available ametrine is minded in Bolivia, although there are deposits being exploited in Brazil as well as India.
The different colors visible within ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to a temperature gradient across the crystal during it's formation.
In order for the Iron to produce both colors within the same crystal, very specific conditions have to be present. Not only does one area of the crystal have to be exposed to more heat, while another section is slightly cooler; this dual temperature condition has to remain stable during the entire growth cycle of the crystal.
Geologists theorize that a deep vent within the Anahi mine created just the right amount of heat, flowing in just the right direction to cause one area of the forming crystals to stay "hotter" than the rest. Creating the perfect balance to form ametrines. Otherwise, these magical gems would have become Amethysts or Citrines.
Only two places on the entire planet had just the right circumstances to form Ametrine Crystals. The Anahi Mine in Bolivia and the Hyderabad Mine in India. The Bolivian mine yields about 90% of ametrine being marketed today.
In 1999 a new area of the mine was opened near Pozo Rico and a huge cavern of Ametrine crystals was discovered. This crystal covered cave measures 4 meters x 3 meters x 1 meter. India's Ametrine is primarily Amethyst with small Citrine zones and lack the rich bi-coloring found in the Bolivian specimens.
Today the bi-colors of the Ametrine are extremely popular in the jewelry trade. Despite its rarity, this special Quartz crystal remains very reasonably priced. Cutters have developed new faceting techniques and elongated rectangles shapes to show off this gem's delightful duality. Artificial ametrine can be created by differential heat treatment of amethyst.
Mohs Hardness of 7 with a trigonal crystal structure.
Also known as trystine or by it's trade name bolivianite, it is a naturally occurring variety of quartz. It is a "mixture" of amethyst and citrine with zones of purple and of yellow or orange, but yet a crystal of it's own, not just a mixture of it's two cousins. Most all commercially available ametrine is minded in Bolivia, although there are deposits being exploited in Brazil as well as India.
The different colors visible within ametrine are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal. The different oxidation states occur due to a temperature gradient across the crystal during it's formation.
In order for the Iron to produce both colors within the same crystal, very specific conditions have to be present. Not only does one area of the crystal have to be exposed to more heat, while another section is slightly cooler; this dual temperature condition has to remain stable during the entire growth cycle of the crystal.
Geologists theorize that a deep vent within the Anahi mine created just the right amount of heat, flowing in just the right direction to cause one area of the forming crystals to stay "hotter" than the rest. Creating the perfect balance to form ametrines. Otherwise, these magical gems would have become Amethysts or Citrines.
Only two places on the entire planet had just the right circumstances to form Ametrine Crystals. The Anahi Mine in Bolivia and the Hyderabad Mine in India. The Bolivian mine yields about 90% of ametrine being marketed today.
In 1999 a new area of the mine was opened near Pozo Rico and a huge cavern of Ametrine crystals was discovered. This crystal covered cave measures 4 meters x 3 meters x 1 meter. India's Ametrine is primarily Amethyst with small Citrine zones and lack the rich bi-coloring found in the Bolivian specimens.
Today the bi-colors of the Ametrine are extremely popular in the jewelry trade. Despite its rarity, this special Quartz crystal remains very reasonably priced. Cutters have developed new faceting techniques and elongated rectangles shapes to show off this gem's delightful duality. Artificial ametrine can be created by differential heat treatment of amethyst.
Wednesday 18 January 2012
FACTS ABOUT THE ETERNAL LOVE GEMSTONE
Ametrine
Ametrine is a variety of quartz that contains both amethyst and citrine sectors in the same crystal. Both amethyst and citrine are colored by small amounts of iron (approx. 40 parts per million). Amethyst color develops when iron-containing quartz is exposed to ionizing radiation. In nature, gamma rays from the decay of potassium-40 are the most likely source of ionizing radiation. The model currently accepted is that radiation oxidizes Fe3+ to Fe4+. There is still uncertainty about the site of the iron. Both interstitial sites in the c-axis channels, and the silicon tetrahedral sites have been proposed as the site of the amethyst center. Citrine color is from Fe3+. The properties of the Fe3+ spectra suggest that the Fe3+ ions are aggregated and hydrated in clusters of unknown size.
Natural Occurrences
Bolivia
The only significant source of natural ametrine is the Anahà mine, in eastern Bolivia. The mine is operated by Minerales y Metales del Oriente, S.R.L., Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It is the source of all the natural ametrine currently on the world's market. In the early days of production, there was much mis-information about the locality with Brazil and Uruguay frequently being mentioned as the source of ametrine.
Ametrine is a variety of quartz that contains both amethyst and citrine sectors in the same crystal. Both amethyst and citrine are colored by small amounts of iron (approx. 40 parts per million). Amethyst color develops when iron-containing quartz is exposed to ionizing radiation. In nature, gamma rays from the decay of potassium-40 are the most likely source of ionizing radiation. The model currently accepted is that radiation oxidizes Fe3+ to Fe4+. There is still uncertainty about the site of the iron. Both interstitial sites in the c-axis channels, and the silicon tetrahedral sites have been proposed as the site of the amethyst center. Citrine color is from Fe3+. The properties of the Fe3+ spectra suggest that the Fe3+ ions are aggregated and hydrated in clusters of unknown size.
Natural Occurrences
Bolivia
The only significant source of natural ametrine is the Anahà mine, in eastern Bolivia. The mine is operated by Minerales y Metales del Oriente, S.R.L., Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It is the source of all the natural ametrine currently on the world's market. In the early days of production, there was much mis-information about the locality with Brazil and Uruguay frequently being mentioned as the source of ametrine.
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