Black Amethyst with Calcite Crystal – Los Catalanes, Uruguay – 76 g

Product Description

A striking Black Amethyst with Calcite Crystal from the Los Catalanes Gemological District of Artigas, Uruguay, featuring a pale honey-colored calcite crystal dramatically centered against a densely crystallized charcoal-gray amethyst cavity.

The primary display face contains thousands of tightly packed quartz crystals ranging from smoky gray and silvery lavender to nearly black. Their compact growth produces intense sparkle while retaining the unusually dark visual character for which black amethyst is collected.

Positioned prominently inside the cavity is a contrasting calcite crystal in pale honey, cream, and warm champagne tones. The calcite displays an elongated, stepped formation with visible growth layers across its surface. Smaller intergrown sections extend from the central crystal, adding depth without distracting from the dominant form.

The contrast is exceptional: the calcite’s softly translucent golden color stands prominently against the dark amethyst background, while the surrounding quartz reflects silver, violet-gray, and occasional warm golden flashes.

The crystallized surface forms a shallow, curved chamber rather than a flat plate. Darker crystals concentrate toward the recessed center, while lighter gray and nearly colorless quartz frame portions of the perimeter. This natural zoning strengthens the illusion of depth and gives the calcite a dramatic central setting.

Around the cavity is a thick green, charcoal, cream, and golden-tan mineral rind. Its irregular patterns preserve the layered silica and altered volcanic material surrounding the original crystal-bearing opening. The reverse exposes this rugged host structure, revealing contrasting gray-green, tan, rust-brown, and pale cream mineral zones.

Mounted upright on a custom display base, the specimen measures approximately 2 × 1.5 × 2.75 inches and weighs 76 grams. Its dark crystallization, isolated honey calcite, strong color contrast, layered volcanic backing, and compact architectural form make it an especially attractive Los Catalanes collector specimen.

Specifications

Minerals: Amethyst Quartz with Calcite

Trade Name: Black Amethyst

Formation: Dark amethyst-lined cavity with a prominent central calcite crystal

Locality: Los Catalanes Gemological District, Artigas Department, Uruguay

Weight: 76 grams

Dimensions: Approximately 2 × 1.5 × 2.75 inches

Amethyst Color: Charcoal gray, smoky violet, silvery lavender, dark gray, and near-black

Calcite Color: Pale honey, cream, champagne, and warm beige

Amethyst Habit: Dense, closely intergrown quartz crystals with numerous visible terminations

Calcite Habit: Elongated stepped crystal with smaller intergrown sections and visible growth layering

Primary Display Face: Shallow crystallized cavity with the calcite positioned prominently near its center

Crystal Zoning: Darker amethyst concentrated within the recessed interior and lighter quartz along portions of the perimeter

Rind: Layered green, charcoal, cream, gray, and golden-tan silica and altered volcanic host material

Reverse: Rugged prepared host structure displaying multiple mineralized zones

Black Coloration: Likely influenced by dense crystallization, inclusions, surface mineralization, and underlying dark material; exact coloring agents have not been analytically confirmed

Luster: Vitreous and highly sparkling across the amethyst; vitreous-to-pearly across the calcite

Transparency: Transparent-to-translucent quartz and calcite over predominantly opaque supporting material

Chemical Composition: SiO₂ for quartz and CaCO₃ for calcite

Crystal Systems: Trigonal for quartz and trigonal for calcite

Mohs Hardness: Approximately 7 for quartz and 3 for calcite

Mounting: Affixed to a custom display base produced in-house

Display: Elevated upright collector specimen

Condition: Natural geological specimen with inherent crystal contacts, incomplete crystals, inclusions, internal fractures, surface mineralization, color variation, irregular edges, and preparation marks associated with extraction and shaping

Exact specimen shown

About Black Amethyst and Calcite

“Black amethyst” is a descriptive collector and trade name for exceptionally dark amethyst formations. It is not a separate mineral species. The near-black appearance may result from deeply colored quartz, dense crystal growth, dark inclusions, surface coatings, or underlying mineralized material visible through translucent crystals.

Under direct illumination, the crystals reveal considerably more color than the name suggests. Silver-gray, smoky lavender, subtle violet, and nearly colorless reflections emerge across the darker base, showing that the formation is not uniformly opaque black.

Calcite commonly occurs alongside amethyst in the volcanic geodes of Artigas. It can develop after the quartz, extending into the remaining open cavity and creating isolated crystals or groups across the earlier amethyst lining.

The central calcite is particularly effective because its honey-cream coloration contrasts so strongly with the dark quartz. Its stepped surface records changes during crystal growth and creates broader, softer reflections than the numerous small amethyst terminations surrounding it.

The mineral deposits of Los Catalanes formed within cavities in ancient volcanic rock. Silica-bearing fluids deposited chalcedony, agate, quartz, and amethyst along the cavity walls. Later fluids carrying calcium carbonate could produce calcite over the previously formed quartz.

Calcite is considerably softer than quartz and possesses perfect cleavage. Handle the specimen only by its custom base and avoid impacts, acids, water, harsh cleaners, and sudden temperature changes. Dust it gently with a soft, dry brush or low-pressure air.

Collector Notes

This specimen features:

• Natural amethyst and calcite from Artigas, Uruguay
• Los Catalanes Gemological District locality
• Unusually dark black-amethyst appearance
• Dense charcoal-gray crystal coverage
• Smoky violet and silvery-lavender highlights
• Thousands of reflective quartz terminations
• Prominent pale honey-colored calcite crystal
• Attractive stepped calcite growth
• Visible horizontal growth layering
• Strong contrast between dark amethyst and light calcite
• Recessed crystal-lined chamber
• Natural color zoning across the quartz
• Lighter crystal border around portions of the cavity
• Thick green and charcoal mineral rind
• Contrasting cream and golden-tan host material
• Rugged reverse preserving the supporting structure
• Compact 76-gram collector size
• Approximately 2.75-inch upright presentation
• Multiple attractive viewing angles
• Custom display base produced in-house
• Elevated, ready-to-display presentation
• Exact specimen pictured

Perfect for collectors of Uruguayan amethyst, Artigas minerals, Los Catalanes specimens, black amethyst, smoky amethyst, calcite on amethyst, mineral combinations, dark quartz, mounted minerals, and volcanic-cavity formations.

Professionally packaged and shipped from Colorado.

You will receive the exact specimen shown.

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