Energizing, refreshing, and empowering ” these words sum up what the sight of prasiolite does to its owner. Prasiolite dazzles with its characteristic green colour associated with creativity, optimism, success, and prosperity.
It is often cut into faceted stones and made as exquisite jewellery pieces. In crystal healing, prasiolite is used to dispel negative energies and promote increased control over one's thoughts and emotions.
Find out more about this green variety of quartz.
The Physical Properties of Prasiolite
Prasiolite comes in a range of green colours of varying intensities. It can be leafy green, yellowish green, or petrol green. Most prasiolite stones in the market today are light in colour and saturation. Tiny specimens have a more subtle greenness due to their very light saturation, whereas regular-sized ones display a richer green colour.
As a type of quartz, prasiolite is a durable stone with a hardness rating of 7. It shares the same wearing characteristics with other quartz varieties namely amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, and smoky quartz.
Since it doesn't have cleavage, prasiolite does not break easily at the slightest impact. This makes the stone suitable for jewellery use. You'll see prasiolite fashioned into various forms of jewellery like rings, pendants, bracelets, beads, earrings, etc.
Naturally occurring prasiolites are rare. The majority of supplies are amethyst stones that have been heat treated in the lab to turn them from purple to green. Lab-treated prasiolite stones must be stored away from direct heat and sunlight as their green colour can fade. Keeping your prasiolite jewellery or gemstone inside a box or cabinet situated in a dark place can help preserve the greenness of your stone.
The History of Prasiolite
The name prasiolite comes from the Greek words prason meaning leek and lithos meaning stone, so the word prasiolite literally means green-coloured stone.
According to The Quartz Page, the first natural prasiolite specimens were found in the early 19th century in P?óczki Górne (located in Lower Silesia, Poland). The specimens were discovered outlining the external layer of geodes.
Since the 1950s, this quartz variety has been mined in a small deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Although it is also found in Canada, Uruguay, the USA, and Zambia.
Natural prasiolite has a light green shade which is produced during geological metamorphism. In this process, an amethyst-bearing rock is heated by lava flows containing iron. This change in chemical composition turns the purple crystal to green, resulting in prasiolite.
Since naturally occurring prasiolite has been rare as of late, gemologists have come up with artificial means to produce the stone in a lab setup:
- Heat treatment - In this method, natural amethyst is heated in a laboratory oven to 500 degrees Celsius to turn the stone's colour to green or yellowish green.
- Irradiation - This is another method that aims to produce prasiolite with a light green shade by subjecting amethyst to temperatures reaching 150 degrees Celsius.
These procedures are widely accepted in the gem trade and have been a common practice to meet the evolving demands of the market. In fact, many gemstones used in jewellery and crystal healing wouldn't have existed had it not for these innovative methods.
The Lore of Prasiolite
Prasiolite is said to stimulate the thyroid and thymus. It is also used to treat digestion problems and nausea. Others use prasiolite to alleviate arthritis, bone injuries, fatigue, and depression.
The stone is believed to help in detoxifying the organs, keeping the body stronger and in great working condition. Prasiolite is also associated with healing and may help speed up the process.
The Metaphysical Properties of Prasiolite
The stone is known to convert negative energies into positive ones and restore emotional stability. What does it mean to have stable emotions? It means you can have the courage and tenacity to navigate difficult situations while remaining productive.
In addition, prasiolite aids you in clarifying your thinking, sharpening your focus, and retaining information. This is beneficial for students and professionals whose work involves a great deal of research and analysis.
Prasiolite is associated with the crown, third eye, and heart chakras meaning it can energize and align these energy centers. Wearing a prasiolite jewellery or meditating with it does the following to the chakras:
- Crown chakra - Prasiolite stimulates the crown chakra to widen your spiritual consciousness, allowing you to achieve a greater understanding of yourself and the world around you.
- Third eye chakra - The stone opens your eyes to the beauty around you so you can develop a deeper appreciation of your world. Moreover, prasiolite boosts your intuition and perception.
- Heart chakra - This green quartz activates your heart center so you can operate from a place of love, joy, compassion, and inner peace. It strengthens your connection with yourself and with others.
You can also use prasiolite to draw in abundance, fortune, and wealth to your life. Keeping this stone around will also help you amplify and materialize your ambitions and desires. And in so doing, prasiolite will increase your motivation to persistently work towards achieving your goals.
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Sources:
Green Quartz: The Ultimate Guide to Meaning, Properties, Uses. (2022, February 24). Gemstonist. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.gemstonist.com/green-quartz/
King, H. M. (n.d.). Prasiolite and Green Amethyst. Geology.Com. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://geology.com/gemstones/prasiolite/#green-quartz
Lucas, C. (2022, February 22). Prasiolite: Meaning, Properties and Powers. CrystalsandJewelry.Com. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/prasiolite/
Prasiolite. (n.d.). The Quartz Page. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from http://www.quartzpage.de/prasiolite.html
Rekstis, E. (2022, January 21). Healing Crystals 101: Everything You Need to Know. Healthline. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/guide-to-healing-crystals
Wikipedia contributors. (2021, October 22). Prasiolite. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 4, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasiolite
