Hematite-Included Golden Sugar Amethyst – Los Catalanes, Uruguay – 61 g

This Golden Sugar Amethyst from Los Catalanes, Uruguay, features a dense coating of fine, sparkling quartz crystals colored by naturally occurring hematite inclusions. Its palette moves through pale champagne, warm peach, rose-gold, smoky bronze, and reddish-brown, creating a much warmer appearance than traditional purple Uruguayan amethyst.

The display face is composed of rounded, interconnected formations covered in sugar-like microcrystals. These tiny quartz faces catch the light independently, producing intense sparkle and occasional prismatic flashes. Deeper recesses reveal concentrated hematite coloration, with dark burgundy-brown areas surrounded by softer peach and golden crystal growth.

The specimen’s layered formation creates excellent depth for its compact size. Raised botryoidal mounds, narrow channels, and a small central pocket break up the surface and provide multiple points of interest. Hematite inclusions appear within and beneath the quartz, producing areas of smoky darkness, rusty red, warm copper, and golden coloration rather than a uniform surface stain.

Viewed from the side, the specimen reveals distinct mineralized bands beneath the druzy face. The natural host rock and cut reverse display the underlying volcanic matrix and iron-rich layers responsible for its unusual coloration. Mounted upright on a fitted black display base, the piece presents its most richly crystallized face while preserving the geological structure around its edges.

Details

• Material: Hematite-included sugar amethyst and microcrystalline quartz
• Origin: Los Catalanes, Artigas Department, Uruguay
• Weight: 61 grams
• Dimensions: Approximately 1.5 × 1.5 × 2.5 inches
• Color: Champagne, golden peach, rose, copper, smoky brown, and reddish burgundy
• Formation: Fine druzy quartz over rounded and botryoidal formations
• Inclusions: Naturally occurring hematite and iron-rich mineralization
• Luster: Bright vitreous sugar-druzy sparkle
• Display: Mounted upright on a fitted black display base
• Reverse: Cut host-rock surface with visible mineralized layering
• Notes: Exact specimen shown

Mineralogical Notes

“Sugar amethyst” is a collector and trade term describing amethyst or quartz formations coated with exceptionally fine, closely packed crystals. The small crystal faces create the glittering, sugar-like texture seen across this specimen.

Hematite is an iron-oxide mineral capable of producing red, brown, copper, peach, and golden coloration within quartz formations. In this piece, the hematite appears concentrated in several recessed areas while also influencing the warmer coloration across the surrounding druzy surface. The result is a layered crystal specimen with subtle lavender undertones and strong rose-gold to bronze visual character.

The Los Catalanes region lies within the basalt fields of Artigas Department, an area internationally recognized for amethyst and agate deposits. These specimens formed when silica-rich fluids entered cavities in ancient volcanic rock and gradually deposited layers of chalcedony and crystalline quartz. Changes in mineral chemistry during growth created the color zoning, inclusions, and contrasting layers visible in the finished specimen.

Color and sparkle may vary with lighting, viewing angle, and screen settings. Direct lighting brings out the warmer golden reflections and prismatic flashes, while softer lighting emphasizes the peach, rose, and smoky hematite-rich areas.

Professionally packaged and shipped from Colorado.
You will receive the exact specimen shown.
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