Amethyst Geode - Rich Purple Crystals
A carefully selected section of an amethyst geode from Uruguay.
A geode is a hollow rock lined with natural crystals. These geological curiosities form over millions of years when mineral-rich water seeps into cavities within volcanic or sedimentary rocks.
As the water dries up or drains away, minerals slowly crystallise, creating stunning interiors that vary in colour, shape, and size.
The crystals' colour is influenced by trace amounts of iron in the quartz and the natural radiation they were exposed to during formation.
Crystals with this depth of colour indicate ideal geological conditions, allowing them to develop slowly and undisturbed.
How does a geode form?
⭐ A hollow space forms inside volcanic rock, usually created by trapped gas bubbles in cooling lava.
⭐ Over time, mineral-rich groundwater seeps into this cavity.
⭐ The water contains dissolved silica, which is the main component of quartz.
⭐ As conditions change, the silica begins to crystallise on the walls of the cavity.
⭐ Layer by layer, quartz crystals grow, facing inwards toward the hollow space.
⭐ If trace amounts of iron are present, and the crystals are exposed to natural radiation, the quartz develops a purple colour — forming amethyst.
⭐ The geode remains sealed inside the surrounding rock for millions of years until it becomes exposed through erosion or mining.
