🔎 UNIDENTIFIED What is this purple "rock"

[DownEast_Detecting]

what kind of rock/gem (what is the correct term?) is this? found in a hole i dug for a thimble find on an old house site next to a river. I assume the person that found it thought it was pretty and brought it home. or it was a gift. it sure is purple.

 

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[robertk]

Looks like amethyst.

 

[smokeythecat]

Amethyst. You can tell by the fracture.

 

[galenrog]

Agreed that it could be amethyst. The color also fits purple fluorite.

Without additional information, I will discount the dozen or so other purple gemstones.

Time for more coffee.

 

[tamrock]

I'm thinking Fluorite

Purple Fluorite vs Amethyst (Similarities, Differences, How To Tell Them Apart)

Learn the key differences between purple fluorite and amethyst, including their composition, color, and hardness, as well as practical ways to tell them apart

www.unearthedgemstones.com

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

Agreed that it could be amethyst. The color also fits purple fluorite.

Without additional information, I will discount the dozen or so other purple gemstones.

Time for more coffee.

What other information can I give you? I happily will if I can.

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

There are 3 larger abandoned quarry’s that would have been within walking distance. About 1.5 miles from where this was found. They were mining for mica and feldspar in the 1800’s. But looks like other minerals have been found there. Also about 6 other smaller digs I assumed to be exploratory digs.

Does that help at all?

 

[giuhalftrack]

ok for the quarry geology, but unfortunately quartz (amethyst ) and fluorite too are common in various geology environment...

but in the mohs scale fluorite is 4 and quartz 7... this is a diagnostic test that should be learned.

if your sample scratch steel it is quartz if not probably fluorite

 

[opalboy]

Amethyst, fluorite would have cleavage.

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

ok for the quarry geology, but unfortunately quartz (amethyst ) and fluorite too are common in various geology environment...

but in the mohs scale fluorite is 4 and quartz 7... this is a diagnostic test that should be learned.

if your sample scratch steel it is quartz if not probably fluorite

Ok so I should try and scratch some steel with it?

Amethyst, fluorite would have cleavage.

What’s cleavage? Hehe


So the consensus is most likely Amethyst? I have one of those microscope like things that links to phone or comp. Would some close ups help or no?

 

[DownEast_Detecting]

pictures under a cheap "microscope" 50-1000x magnification. Not sure if that helps at all

in the mohs scale fluorite is 4 and quartz 7... this is a diagnostic test that should be learned.

if your sample scratch steel it is quartz if not probably fluorite

Im not sure what you mean by "steel" sense there are so many different kinds of steel. With different compositions, hardness's, microstructures, heat treatments, etc. And in each sub category (carbon, alloy, stainless, tool) there are many different grades. So i grabbed the "softest" stuff i had laying around. Which happened to be carbon A36 mild steel and it definitely scratched it. Sorry to nerd out on you with steel facts lol. i just think when it comes to identifying rocks,artifacts, etc we should be as accurate and concise as possibly. 🤓
So anyway this means its Amethyst for sure right?