Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, colored by iron impurities and radiation exposure. It typically forms as prismatic crystal clusters within volcanic geodes, commonly sought by collectors for its vibrant violet hues and geometric point terminations.
Is this amethyst?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch amethyst with a known reference. Amethyst sits at Mohs 7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Amethyst leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Amethyst typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: purple, violet, lavender.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: prismatic crystals in geodes.
Often confused with
Amethyst vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside amethyst
Minerals reported to co-occur with amethyst. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic Crystals in Geodes
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Geodes in Basalt and Hydrothermal Veins
- Typical price
- $5-20 thumbnail, $50-500 large specimens
Where rockhounds find amethyst
133 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Uruguay
- Zambia
- United States
- Madagascar
U.S. states with amethyst
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce amethyst.
- North Carolina20 spots
- Virginia16 spots
- New Jersey10 spots
- Pennsylvania10 spots
- South Carolina10 spots
- Utah8 spots
- New Hampshire7 spots
- Georgia6 spots
Field-hunting tip
Look in geodes in basalt and hydrothermal veins country — that is the host setting where amethyst typically forms. If you start seeing calcite, goethite, hematite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic crystals in geodes habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify amethyst?+
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Find amethyst on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
