Amazonite, Natural, Faceted Rice Beads, One 6x8mm Strand

Amazonite, Natural, Faceted Rice Beads, One 6x8mm Strand. 

This price is for one strand 15 to 16 inches long. 

6x8mm rice bead strands about 40 pieces.

Amazonite is a green to blue green mineral, a variety of the potassium feldspar. Its name is taken from that of the Amazon River, from which green stones were formerly obtained, though it is unknown whether those stones were amazonite. Found in China, Libya, Magnolia, South Africa, and the United States in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Mixed or Rainbow Amazonite beads offer a wider color range, displaying not just shades of pale sea-mist blue green, but also gray, brown, yellow, and rust. Sometimes the stones contain visible bits of sparkly pyrite, providing even more visual interest.

USA Amazonite stone is also referred to as "Colorado jade" or "Pikes Peak Jade" because of its resemblance to Jade. It is usually pale green, but can sometimes be blue-green, turquoise, or yellow-green and can also have white streaks.

Hardness 6-6.5

This is a natural stone that has had no treatment other than cutting, drilling, and polishing in China.