Stone: Amethyst

Amethyst - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Mainly found in Brazil. Other amethyst origins include Canada, India, Madagascar, Russia, and USA

General Information: Amethyst is one of the most precious and valuable stones belonging to the quartz group of minerals, with exception to rare blue-green gem silica. It is recognized as the official birthstone for the month of February.

Physical Properties: Amethyst belongs to the macrocrystalline branch of quartz and owes its violet/purple color to iron and aluminum impurities. Without such coloring agents, amethyst would simply be transparent, ordinary colorless quartz.

Metaphysical properties: Amethyst is the birthstone for those who are born in February or for the zodiacal sign of Pisces. Amethyst has healing powers to help with physical ailments, emotional issues, and in Energy Healing and Chakra balancing. Amethyst crystal therapies are primarily associated with physical ailments of the nervous system, the curing of nightmares and insomnia, and balancing the crown chakra.

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Stone: Fluorite

Fluorite - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Argentina, Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, USA 

General Information: Fluorite is considered to be one of most popular minerals in the world among gem and mineral collectors, second only to quartz. It is often referred to as 'the most colorful mineral in the world' owing to its variety of brilliant colors. 

Physical Properties: Fluorite is frequently fluorescent under ultraviolet UV light. The fluorescence is thought to be due to impurities of yttrium or other types of organic matter within the crystal lattice. The color of visible light emitted when a sample of fluorite is fluorescing appears to be highly dependent on where the specimen was collected.

Metaphysical properties: Many people believe fluorite has a calming effect on the body. Fluorite increases intuitive abilities, links the human mind to universal consciousness, and develops connection to Spirit. This stone stimulates the third eye chakra, throat and crown chakra. 

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Stone: Larimar

Larimar - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: It is found only in a limited deposit in the Dominican Republic. 

General Information: Larimar is a blue variety of the mineral Pectolite. Pectolite is not a rare mineral and is found throughout the world, but the exquisite sea-blue color exhibited in the Larimar variety is very unique, and only comes from one place in the world.

Physical Properties: The color of Larimar is caused by copper inclusions. Its color is rarely solid; it is almost always blue with interconnecting white lines and rough circles. A radiating pattern of crystal needles can often be observed within the Larimar. The blue color can vary in intensity from very light to greenish-blue to deep sky blue. Deeper blue colors and less white are more desirable.

Metaphysical properties: Larimar is also known as 'the Atlantis stone', based on old legends which claim that the Dominican Republic was once part of the lost city of Atlantis. This association makes Larimar very important in the world of metaphysical gems. It is believed that the energy of Larimar can help to enhance spirituality and communication. It is a stone which is able to soothe emotions, cool tempers and alleviate stress, bringing a feeling of calmness to its wearer. This stone works best with the heart, crown and throat chakras. 

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Stone: Golden Rutile Quartz

Golden Rutile Quartz - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Madagascar, Brazil, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Germany and Switzerland

General Information: Quartz stones that contains mineral inclusions are called "rutilated quartz" or "sagenite", popularly known as Venus-hair stone. Rutiles are small needlelike crystals. These may be red, black or brassy yellow. 

Physical Properties: Golden Rutile is a titanium dioxide mineral, and sometimes contains large quantities of iron oxide. When the iron oxide content is high, the rutilated quartz may have needles of gold and red in it, and when the content is lower, it may have a darker color to it, such as black.

Metaphysical properties: Rutilated quartz is highly energizing and can bring passion into difficult times or difficult projects. Because it heightens energy, it is important for illuminating the soul, removed barriers to spiritual growth and filters negative energy. It is very powerful within all of the chakras from the heart chakra up.

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Stone: Malachite

Malachite - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Russia, Africa, Australia, Brazil, USA, Chile, Romania

General information: The name Malachite is said to have come from the Greek word malakee, or malache, signifying the resemblance of mallow leaves, or from the Greek work malakos, meaning soft. This stone was well known to ancient Egyptians and malachite mines were in use between the Suez and Sinai as early as 4000 B.C. This stone was also quite popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans, for various purposes, such as jewelry, ornaments, and in powdered form, for eye shadow. During the middle ages, Malachite was believed to protect against the "Evil Eye" and to cure various stomach ailments.  

Physical Properties: This stone is a carbonate of copper, and is sometimes intergrown with Azurite, forming Malachite-Azurite, or with Chrysocolla, forming Malachite-Chrysocolla. It may also be found with a number of copper based minerals. This stone is a very popular mineral with its intense green color and beautiful banded masses. The bands may consist of concentric rings with interesting patterns; such specimens are highly sought after. 

Metaphysical properties: The energy of this stone strengthens the auric field and is known to alert you to the approach of danger. Malachite has an excellent vibration within the heart chakra and other chakras surrounding it. This stone helps to stabilize your energy thus making you more emotionally balanced. Malachite is also known to clear difficulties/obstructions from your path. 

Stone: Labradorite

Labradorite - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Norway, Finland, Canada, Australia, Madagascar, Ukraine

General information: Labradorite was first discovered in Labrador, Canada, by Moravian Missionaries in 1770 who names the stone for the area in which it was found. It is however, referenced in legends by older Inuit tribes, and was known to be in use by the Boethuk people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Lore of the Inuit people say that Labradorite feel from the frozen fire of the Aurora Borealis, and ordinary stone that transforms to the extraordinary, shimmering in a mystical light that separates the waking world from the unseen realms. This stone became a popular gem in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Physical Properties: Labradorite is a member of the Feldspar family and is treasured for its remarkable play on colors, known as labradorescence. This stone, usually gray-green, dark gray, black or gray-whitish, is composed in aggregated layers that refract light as iridescent flashes of peacock blue, gold, pale green, or coppery red. The predominant blue varies within the light, displaying hues from the deepest blue to various shades of pale, almost blue-green. Rarer varieties of Labradorite include Golden Labradorite; a transparent gold or champagne-color, and Spectrolite, an intense variety displaying the entire color spectrum, discovered in Finland in the 1940s

Metaphysical properties: Labradorite enhances ones mental and intuitive abilities of clairvoyance, telepathy, prophecy and coincidence control. This stone brings the gift of serpendipity and synchronicity. It allows you to open your crown chakra and allow direct contact with the divine mind. 

Stone: Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Japan, China, Canada, USA

General information: This stone is commonly black and white but it may also be brown and white. The way that the minerals are arranged in the stone resembles the flower chrysanthemum, thus explaining its name.

Physical Properties: This is a naturally occurring stone that is composed of a mixture of gypsum, dolomite and limestone. There are inclusions of various other minerals such as celestite, calcite, andalusite, and feldspar within this stone as well. 

Metaphysical properties: Chrysanthemum stone contains an energy that helps you overcome through obstacles to joy, love and abundance in your life. It helps create a balance between our physical and spiritual sides. This stone is said to bring unexpected opportunities and help in one's life. This stone is associated with both the heart and crown chakra.  

Stone: Stichtite in Serpentine/Atlantisite

Stichtite in Serpentine - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Australia, South Africa, Canada

General information: Stichtite in Serpentine, discovered in 1910 in Tasmania, Australia, is named after Robert Carl Stich who was an American Born industrialist and metallurgist that worked in Tasmania from 1897-1922. At Mt. Dundas, on the west coast of Tasmania, Stichtite is found associated with green Serpentine. This stone also goes by the name of Atlantisite. 

Physical Properties: Stichtite in Serpentine is a rare stone, a carbonate of chromium and magnesium. Its color ranges from pink through lilac to a rich purple color. This rock is thought to have originally formed from mantle-derived igneous intrusions crystallizing below sea floor, which were later altered to Serpentine-Stichtite rocks by lower temperature fluids. 

Metaphysical properties: This stone is excellent for deepening meditation, clearing your chakras (energy centers) and detoxifying your thoughts. Stichtite in Serpentine has also been used understand the concept and energies of love. This stone resonates and links the energies of the crown and heart chakra.

Stone: Dendrite Opal/Merilinite

Dendrite Opal - Image by Sonatona

Country of Origin: Brazil, India, Madagascar, the USA, Mexico and Kazakhstan.

General information: Dendrite Opal, also known as Moss Opal or Merilinite, gets its name from the tree-like appearance of the inclusions. Dendrites, comes from the Greek word, "dendron", meaning "tree". The word "opal" is thought to be derived from the sanskrit word "upala", meaning "precious stone". During the Middles Ages, opals were considered lucky and some even believed that an opal wrapped in a bay leaf would provide the owner with the power of invisibility. 

Physical Properties: Opal is considered to be a hydrated silicon dioxide, always containing 3 to 30% water. This characteristic results in the relative softness of this stone. Dendrite Opals are usually identified by its milky white to brownish color, with black inclusions. These inclusions are typically caused by hornblende. 

Metaphysical properties: The energy of Dendrite Opal helps with one's spiritual and physical growth. It is believed that Dendrite Opals also facilitate the fulfillment of desires and helps wearers recover from difficult past lives. This stone is associated with the base root chakra, heart chakra, and crown chakra