Purpurite is a stunning yet little-known deep purple phosphate gemstone discovered in North Carolina, USA, in 1905. Its reddish to violet coloring may be bright enough to make you wonder: is purpurite natural? It sure is!
Well, is purpurite rare? Yes, this mineral is very rare. Unfortunately, purpurite jewelry isn’t durable enough for regular wear, but it makes gorgeous ornamental items and healing stones!
If you love underrated purple gems, join us as we explain all of purpurite’s qualities, properties, healing powers, and more.
Image credit: Ra'ike | GNU Free Documentation License
Purpurite is a rose red to rich purple semi-precious gemstone. It’s sometimes misspelled as “purpoliote” or “purpolite.” One alternate name for the stone is “manganipurpurite,” after its manganese content.
Like other purple crystals, purpurite is a natural birthstone for anyone born around December 21, the Winter Solstice. Likewise, it can also be worn as an alternative January birthstone.
Astrologically, purpurite is a zodiac stone for Virgo. The crystal’s rejuvenating and spiritual properties are perfect for helping any overworked Virgo from taking time for themselves to reflect.
Though researchers have created and used synthetic purpurite for scientific purposes, synthetic versions haven’t shown up in the jewelry world.
Purpurite is a manganese phosphate mineral with the formula MnPO4, though iron (Fe) impurities are so common, the formula is often written (Mn,Fe)PO4. The amount of iron inside a given purpurite stone often differs according to where it came from.
The mineral forms a series with the iron phosphate heterosite, with purpurite representing the manganese-dominant end. For this reason, purpurite may be called “manganian heterosite.” Purpurite is much rarer than heterosite, though.
Both heterosite and purpurite are in the triphylite group of anhydrous (waterless) phosphates. Other minerals in this group are sicklerite, lithiophilite, natrophilite, ferrisicklerite, karenwebberite, and of course, triphylite.
Though purpurite can form crystals, it more commonly occurs in small, stocky masses. It can occasionally form as a druzy.
Here are the rest of purpurite’s properties:
Mohs hardness: 4-4.5
Color: Violet, deep red/pink, magenta, purple; Often oxidizes (in part or completely) to brownish-black, brown, black
Crystal structure: Orthorhombic
Luster: Dull/earthy and satiny; Silky
Transparency: Translucent to opaque
Refractive index: 1.85-1.92
Density: 3.20-3.69
Cleavage: Good/Distinct on [100] & imperfect on [010]; These surfaces may be crinkled or curved
Fracture: Uneven/Irregular
Streak: Purple
Luminescence: None
Pleochroism: Strong in gray, greenish-gray, or rose-red and maroon or magenta
From appearance alone, you may wonder: is purpurite the same as sugilite? No, but we don’t blame you for the confusion!
Pictured above: Sugilite
Pictured above: Charoite
The two gems that look the most like purpurite are sugilite and charoite. We’ll go over the individual differences below, but overall, purpurite is far rarer than either of these stones and less likely to be carved.
Here are the primary differences between purpurite vs. sugilite and charoite:
Hardness: Purpurite is lower on the Mohs mineral hardness scale than both charoite (at 5-6) and sugilite (at 6), making purpurite the softest of the three.
Refractive Index: Purpurite’s refractive index is significantly higher than that of charoite (1.54-1.56) or sugilite (1.60-1.61).
Streak: Purpurite has purple streak powder, while charoite and sugilite have white/colorless streaks.
Density / Specific Gravity: Purpurite is much denser (heavier) than charoite (2.54-2.78) or sugilite (2.74).
Now that you can tell purpurite apart from its violet companions, it’s time to look at purpurite’s origin!
Purpurite symbolizes liberation, intuition, and spirituality. Some call it the “Stone of Freedom.” Many also interpret the purpurite spiritual meaning to represent abundance, success, and growth.
The first discovery of purpurite occurred in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, USA. The original specimen currently resides with the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.
Two American geologists made the discovery: Louis Caryl Graton and Waldemar T. Schaller. Fun fact: Schaller is renowned not only for being the first to determine the chemical composition of turquoise, but also for providing the names and descriptions of 41 new minerals!
Schaller and Graton published their findings in the American Journal of Science in August of 1905 with the new mineral’s name as “purpurite” after the Latin purpura for “purple.”
While the two geologists were examining pegmatites in the North Carolina area in 1904, the mine’s superintendent, J.L. Daniels, pointed out the unusually striking mineral. Daniels also supplied the men samples for analysis, which they discovered to be the only known manganese phosphate (at the time).
Soon after, purpurite was also discovered in the famous Pala mines of California, the same mines where kunzite was discovered in 1902.
That covers origins. Now, what is purpurite good for?
Gemstones have vibrations and coloring that can influence their abilities as healing stones. In purpurite’s case, it joins other purple gemstones in representing creativity, magic, and spiritual intuition.
Because purpurite can become brown or black over time, it can also offer the grounding, balancing, and protective benefits of brown and black gemstones.
Additionally, purpurite is believed to be beneficial for financial stress, along with facilitating successful real estate transactions. Who knew?
What about the more specific purpurite benefits for physical, emotional, and chakra healing?
Crystal healers use purpurite to help treat:
Bruises, cuts, and wounds
High blood pressure
Sunburns
Fatigue
High heart rate
Blood circulation issues
Purpurite is a great stone for encouraging creativity and problem-solving. It’s said to stimulate cognitive activity and focus, but also free you from toxic thought patterns.
By helping you let go of anxieties that hold you back, the “Stone of Freedom” is believed to help you speak your truth confidently. This makes it popularly recommended for use during public speaking and for personal growth goals.
Chakra healing involves resolving blockages of energy flow among your chakras (energy centers) to bring the entire system back into harmony. Being a highly spiritual crystal, purpurite is unsurprisingly a chakra stone for the two centers of spirituality: the third eye and crown chakras.
The third eye chakra governs intuition and awareness, while the crown chakra represents ascension and connection spiritually. When purpurite balances and harmonizes these chakras, you’ll likely feel confident in who you are spiritually and your place in the world.
Spiritually, purpurite is all about ascension. These crystals are believed to harmonize your mental and emotional sides with your truest spiritual self. It can also help you harness stronger intuition and communication with higher beings, who can provide wisdom on your spiritual path.
Though it’s not often used in jewelry, purpurite’s value is still determined by standard gemstone properties: color, cut, clarity, and treatments.
Purpurite isn’t just a purple gem — it can show many shades! The possible purpurite colors include violet, deep red, burgundy, dark rose, brown, or black.
The red to purple hues in purpurite are caused by its manganese content. However, it’s often spotted or speckled with brown or black as well due to iron inclusions oxidizing. The amount of speckling depends on a particular purpurite’s iron content and the extent of weathering the stone has gone through.
Bright purple specimens with little to no brown or black coloring are most valuable.
Purpurite is hardly ever faceted, given its softness and cleavage. However, it makes gorgeous cabochons, beads, and carvings. Otherwise, it’s sold raw or polished in a freeform shape.
Purpurite is almost always opaque, so it doesn’t have a colored gemstone clarity grade. Besides iron, other inclusions you might see in purpurite are sicklerite, lithiophilite, and apatite. These inclusions can create areas of yellow, white, or orange on purpurite stones.
Because oxidation often turns purpurite brownish or blackish over time, jewelers often enhance purpurite’s color via acid treatment or acid etching.
Basic versions of this process involve quickly submerging the stone in a weak acid solution to make the color brighter. This may be followed with coating the stone in a stabilizer to prevent it from becoming oxidized again and losing its color.
Some sellers may dye the stone purple, but this often rubs off and is considered “fake purpurite” by many geologists.
When it comes to natural, untouched material, how does purpurite form?
Image credit: Douglas Watts | Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license
Purpurite is a secondary mineral, meaning it forms when a different (primary) mineral is transformed by outside forces of some kind, be it weathering, chemicals, or otherwise.
In this case, purpurite starts as lithiophilite, a lithium manganese phosphate. The lithiophilite’s lithium content leaches out while manganese oxidizes.
This formation process mostly occurs in lithium-bearing pegmatites. Oftentimes, you’ll find purpurite crystals growing on top of triphylite, the primary mineral that can become heterosite.
The largest, most cost-effective, gem-quality purpurite comes from Usakos, Namibia.
Purpurite can also be found in:
Australia
France
Portugal
USA (California, Maine, North Carolina, South Dakota)
Since it’s so rare, is purpurite valuable? Somewhat, yes, but it’s more affordable than you’d think!
Good news: many purpurite stones are very affordable! Most cabochons are around $0.33 per carat and tumbled stones are typically $4-$15 each.
However, some specimens are much pricier. Large purpurite spheres can reach $150, and well-polished tumbled stones may be $80-$200.
Rough purpurite generally fetches $10-$50, with a few specimens reaching $100.
Before we wrap up, you’ll need to know proper gemstone care.
If you manage to find purpurite jewelry, we recommend opting for protective settings and less vulnerable options (to prevent scratches) like pendants and earrings.
Can you wash purpurite? Yep! You can clean purpurite with the standard mild soap mixed with warm water, spread gently with a soft toothbrush. Follow that with a rinse and drying with a soft, dust-free cloth.
Just avoid hydrochloric acids and steam or ultrasonic cleaning systems. Store your purpurite stones away from other gems to prevent damage.
There are many associations with purple: creativity, calm, intuition, passion. Purpurite reflects all these qualities and more, allowing you to confidently explore your spiritual side or strengthen your confidence with the grace of nobles who’d often adorn themselves in this royal hue.
Whether you’re seeking spiritual awakening or just a pristine purple crystal to have around as visually soothing decor, purpurite may just be what you’re searching for!
紫水晶是一种令人惊叹但鲜为人知的深紫色磷酸盐宝石,于 1905 年在美国北卡罗来纳州发现。其淡红色至紫罗兰色的颜色可能足以让您怀疑:紫水晶是天然的吗?确实是!
那么,紫水晶稀有吗?是的,这种矿物非常稀有。不幸的是,紫水晶首饰不够耐用,不能经常佩戴,但它可以制作华丽的装饰品和治疗宝石!
如果您喜欢被低估的紫色宝石,请加入我们,我们将向您解释紫水晶的所有品质、特性、治疗能力等。
图片来源:Ra'ike | GNU 自由文档许可证
Purpurite 是一种玫瑰红色至深紫色的半宝石。它有时被拼错为“purpoliote”或“purpolite”。石头的另一个名称是“manganipurpurite”,以锰含量命名。
与其他紫色晶体一样,紫紫水晶对于在 12 月 21 日冬至前后出生的人来说是一种天然的诞生石。同样,它也可以作为替代的一月生日石佩戴。
在占星术上,紫水晶是处女座的生肖石。水晶的恢复活力和精神特性非常适合帮助任何过度劳累的处女座花时间反思自己。
尽管研究人员已经为科学目的创造并使用了合成紫水晶,但合成紫水晶还没有出现在珠宝界。
紫铜矿是一种磷酸锰矿物,分子式为 MnPO4,虽然铁 (Fe) 杂质很常见,但分子式通常写作 (Mn,Fe)PO4。给定紫水晶内的铁含量通常会根据其来源而有所不同。
该矿物与磷酸铁异长矿形成系列,紫铜矿代表锰为主。因此,紫铜矿可称为“锰杂异石”。不过,紫铜矿比异质矿要少得多。
异长矿和紫铜矿都属于无水(无水)磷酸盐的三卤酸盐组。该组中的其他矿物是镰状铁矿、亲锂矿、钠镁矿、镍铁矿、卡伦韦伯矿,当然还有三卤石。
虽然紫铜矿可以形成晶体,但它更常见于小而结实的块状物中。它有时会形成druzy 。
以下是 purpurite 的其他特性:
莫氏硬度:4-4.5
颜色:紫罗兰色、深红色/粉红色、洋红色、紫色;经常(部分或完全)氧化成棕黑色、棕色、黑色
晶体结构: 正交
光泽:沉闷/泥土和光滑;丝滑
透明度:半透明到不透明
折射率:1.85-1.92
密度:3.20-3.69
解理:在 [100] 上良好/不同,在 [010] 上不完美;这些表面可能起皱或弯曲
断裂:不均匀/不规则
条纹:紫色
发光:无
多色性:强烈的灰色、绿灰色或玫瑰红色和栗色或洋红色
仅从外观上,您可能会想:紫铜矿和苏吉莱特一样吗?不,但我们不会因为混乱而责怪您!
上图:Sugilite
上图:夏洛特
最像紫水晶的两种宝石是苏吉石和方铅矿。我们将在下面讨论个体差异,但总的来说,紫水晶比这些石头中的任何一种都稀有,而且不太可能被雕刻。
以下是紫铜矿与苏吉石和 charoite 之间的主要区别:
硬度:紫铜矿的莫氏矿物硬度低于 charoite(5-6 级)和 sugilite(6 级),使紫铜矿成为三者中最软的。
折光率:紫晶的折光率明显高于charoite(1.54-1.56)或sugilite(1.60-1.61)。
条纹: 紫铜矿有紫色条纹粉,而 charoite 和 sugilite 有白色/无色条纹。
密度/比重:紫铜矿比 charoite (2.54-2.78) 或 sugilite (2.74) 密度更大(重)。
既然您可以将紫水晶与它的紫罗兰同伴区分开来,那么是时候看看紫水晶的起源了!
Purpurite 象征着解放、直觉和灵性。有人称其为“自由之石”。许多人还将紫红色的精神意义解释为代表丰富、成功和成长。
紫铜矿的首次发现发生在美国北卡罗来纳州的金斯山。原始标本目前存放在华盛顿特区的史密森学会国家自然历史博物馆。
两位美国地质学家发现了这一发现:Louis Caryl Graton 和 Waldemar T. Schaller。有趣的事实:Schaller 不仅是第一个确定绿松石化学成分的人,而且还提供了 41 种新矿物的名称和描述!
Schaller 和 Graton 于 1905 年 8 月在《美国科学杂志》上发表了他们的发现,新矿物在拉丁语purpura中的“紫色”之后被命名为“purpurite”。
1904 年,当两位地质学家在北卡罗来纳地区检查伟晶岩时,矿场负责人 JL Daniels 指出了这种异常引人注目的矿物。丹尼尔斯还提供了男性样本进行分析,他们发现这是唯一已知的磷酸锰(当时)。
不久之后,在加利福尼亚著名的帕拉矿中也发现了紫铜矿,1902 年在该矿中发现了锂紫玉。
这涵盖了起源。现在,紫水晶有什么用?
宝石的振动和颜色会影响它们作为治疗宝石的能力。在紫水晶的例子中,它与其他紫色宝石一起代表创造力、魔法和精神直觉。
因为紫水晶会随着时间的推移变成棕色或黑色,它还可以提供棕色和黑色宝石的接地、平衡和保护作用。
此外,紫水晶被认为有助于缓解财务压力,并促进成功的房地产交易。谁知道?
紫水晶对身体、情感和脉轮治疗的更具体的好处呢?
水晶治疗师使用紫水晶来帮助治疗:
瘀伤、割伤和伤口
高血压
晒伤
疲劳
高心率
血液循环问题
紫水晶是鼓励创造力和解决问题的好石头。据说它可以刺激认知活动和注意力,还可以让你摆脱有毒的思维模式。
通过帮助你摆脱阻碍你的焦虑,“自由之石”被认为可以帮助你自信地说出你的真相。这使得它被普遍推荐用于公开演讲和个人成长目标。
脉轮治疗涉及解决脉轮(能量中心)之间能量流动的阻塞,以使整个系统恢复和谐。作为一种高度灵性的水晶,紫水晶毫无疑问是两个灵性中心的脉轮石:第三只眼和顶轮。
第三只眼脉轮掌管直觉和意识,而顶轮则代表精神上的提升和联系。当紫水晶平衡和协调这些脉轮时,您可能会对自己在精神上的身份和在世界上的位置充满信心。
从精神上讲,紫红色是关于提升的。这些水晶被认为可以使您的精神和情感方面与您最真实的精神自我相协调。它还可以帮助您利用更强大的直觉和与更高生命的交流,他们可以在您的精神道路上提供智慧。
虽然紫水晶不常用于珠宝,但其价值仍取决于标准宝石特性:颜色、切工、净度和处理。
Purpurite 不仅仅是一种紫色宝石 - 它可以显示多种色调!可能的紫红色包括紫罗兰色、深红色、酒红色、深玫瑰色、棕色或黑色。
紫水晶中的红色至紫色色调是由其锰含量引起的。然而,由于铁夹杂物氧化,它也经常出现棕色或黑色斑点或斑点。斑点的数量取决于特定紫水晶的铁含量和石头风化的程度。
几乎没有棕色或黑色的亮紫色标本是最有价值的。
紫水晶几乎没有刻面,因为它的柔软和解理。然而,它制作华丽的凸圆形、珠子和雕刻品。否则,它以自由形状出售或抛光。
紫水晶几乎总是不透明的,因此它没有彩色宝石净度等级。除了铁之外,您可能在紫晶中看到的其他夹杂物是镰刀石、亲锂矿和磷灰石。这些内含物会在紫水晶上形成黄色、白色或橙色区域。
因为随着时间的推移氧化通常会使紫水晶变成褐色或黑色,珠宝商通常通过酸处理或酸蚀来增强紫水晶的颜色。
这个过程的基本版本包括将石头快速浸入弱酸溶液中,以使颜色更亮。随后可以在石头上涂上稳定剂,以防止它再次被氧化并失去颜色。
一些卖家可能会将石头染成紫色,但这通常会被擦掉,被许多地质学家认为是“假紫水晶”。
谈到天然、未受污染的材料,紫水晶是如何形成的?
图片来源:道格拉斯·瓦茨 |知识共享署名 3.0 未移植许可证
紫铜矿是一种次生矿物,这意味着当一种不同的(主要)矿物被某种外力转化时形成,无论是风化、化学物质还是其他。
在这种情况下,紫铜矿以亲锂矿(一种磷酸锰锂)开始。当锰氧化时,亲锂矿的锂含量会浸出。
这种形成过程主要发生在含锂伟晶岩中。通常,您会发现紫晶石晶体生长在三卤石之上,三卤石是可以成为异质岩的主要矿物。
最大、最具成本效益的宝石级紫水晶来自纳米比亚的乌萨科斯。
Purpurite 也可以在以下位置找到:
澳大利亚
法国
葡萄牙
美国(加利福尼亚州、缅因州、北卡罗来纳州、南达科他州)
既然如此稀有,那么紫水晶有价值吗?有点,是的,但它比你想象的更实惠!
好消息:许多紫水晶非常实惠!大多数凸圆形宝石的价格约为每克拉 0.33 美元,而滚石通常为每颗 4 至 15 美元。
但是,有些标本的价格要高得多。大的紫水晶球可以达到 150 美元,抛光良好的滚石可能在 80-200 美元。
原石紫水晶的价格通常在 10 至 50 美元之间,少数样品达到 100 美元。
在我们结束之前,您需要了解正确的宝石护理。
如果您设法找到紫宝石首饰,我们建议您选择保护性设置和不易损坏的选项(以防止划伤),例如吊坠和耳环。
紫砂可以洗吗?是的!您可以使用标准温和肥皂与温水混合清洁紫水晶,然后用软牙刷轻轻涂抹。然后用柔软的无尘布冲洗并擦干。
只是避免使用盐酸和蒸汽或超声波清洗系统。将紫水晶远离其他宝石存放,以防止损坏。
紫色有很多联想:创造力、冷静、直觉、热情。 Purpurite 反映了所有这些品质以及更多品质,让您可以自信地探索自己的精神面,或通过经常以这种皇室色调装饰自己的贵族的优雅来增强您的信心。
无论您是寻求精神上的觉醒,还是仅仅将原始的紫色水晶作为视觉舒缓的装饰,紫水晶可能正是您所寻找的!
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