Almost all prasiolite is amethyst that has been heated until it turns pale green. The stone is real quartz, but the color is made by heating, and natural prasiolite is very rare.
Silicate (quartz) · Quartz
Prasiolite
Prasiolita
- Palette
- Green
- Mined in
- Brazil, Poland, Canada, Namibia
- Hardness
- Mohs 7.0 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Greek prason, leek, and lithos, stone: leek-green stone
- Also sold as
- green amethyst, vermarine, lime citrine
- Intention
- Protection
- Looking for
- Grounding
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Nearly all prasiolite is made by heating amethyst, and some is irradiated. Natural green quartz is rare.
Not in our pieces now
400 TO 500°C
Prasiolite is made by heating amethyst to roughly 400 to 500°C, which turns it green.
LEEK STONE
The name prasiolite comes from the Greek prason, meaning leek, and lithos, meaning stone.
PŁÓCZKI GÓRNE
Natural prasiolite is exceedingly rare; known deposits include Płóczki Górne in Poland, Thunder Bay in Canada and Farm Rooisand in Namibia.
What it is
A clear, pale leaf-green quartz. Almost all prasiolite on the market is amethyst that has been heated until its purple turns green, so the color is man-made even though the stone is natural quartz. Natural prasiolite exists but is very rare.
What gives it its color
The leek-green comes from iron in the quartz (Fe2+). Nearly all of it is amethyst that was heated to about 400 to 500 C, or quartz that was irradiated; natural prasiolite is very rare.
Where it comes from
Natural prasiolite was first found in Lower Silesia, Poland; most of today's heated material starts as amethyst from Brazil, notably the Montezuma mine in Minas Gerais.
In history
Natural prasiolite was first found in Lower Silesia, Poland, in the early 1800s, but nearly all green quartz sold today is amethyst heated to turn it green, a trade that took off in the mid-1950s with amethyst from the Montezuma mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The amethyst it starts from has been carved since antiquity; an amethyst scarab from Egypt's Middle Kingdom is in the Petrie Museum in London.
What's said about it
In crystal lore it is a grounding stone. One modern guide has people rest a bare foot on a tumbled piece for half a minute when they feel scattered.
It is hard enough for daily wear. Ask the seller whether a strand is heated or natural.
How people wear or keep it: On the floor under a bare foot, on the wrist, or in a pocket.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, prasiolite is paired with the root and heart chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the floor under a bare foot, on the wrist, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want grounding, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraRoot, Heart
ZodiacCapricorn, Scorpio
ElementEarth
Also calledgreen amethyst, vermarine, lime citrine
Care
- Hard enough for everyday wear, but a hard knock can still chip it.
- Wipe with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry it.
- Ask the seller whether a stone is heated or natural; nearly all are heated.
- Store apart from harder gems such as sapphire and diamond.
- Skip steam cleaners and sudden hot-and-cold changes.
How to tell what you have
- Prasiolite is pale leek-green quartz (hardness 7, no cleavage) and is not the same as chrysoprase, prase or chlorite-green quartz.
- Look out for green glass, which shows round bubbles and feels warmer and lighter, and for dyed quartz with color pooled in cracks. Most green quartz on the market is heated, which is normal for this stone.
What sets the price
Nearly all prasiolite is made by heating amethyst, and natural green quartz is rare, so price follows how rich and even the green is, bead size, and whether it is natural or heated. The green can fade in strong light or heat, and a name like "green amethyst" does not make it worth more.
Rules and sourcing
Nearly all prasiolite is made by heating amethyst, and some is irradiated. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose heat or irradiation.
Questions people ask at our table
What is prasiolite?
It is a green variety of quartz. Nearly all of it is amethyst that was heated until it changed color, and a little is made by irradiating yellowish quartz.
Is it the same as green amethyst?
Yes, that is a common trade name. US trade guidelines do not accept green amethyst as a name for it. Prasiolite is the name to use.
Is the color natural?
The stone is natural quartz, but the green color is almost always from heating. Natural prasiolite is very rare.
How is it different from green aventurine?
Prasiolite is clear and glassy. Green aventurine is opaque to translucent and often sparkles with tiny flecks.
Where is it from?
Most heated stock comes from one mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Natural material is reported from Poland, Brazil, Canada and Namibia.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
Stay in the loop
Sign up to hear about new product drops, upcoming events, and the latest from Peritik. No spam, just the good stuff.