Description
The mineral amblygonite is a fluorine-containing lithium-sodium-aluminum phosphate with the chemical formula (Li,Na)AlPO4(F,OH). Named after the Greek amblys (blunt) and gonos (angle), this stone has only recently been used as a gemstone. The mineral is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations and can form cracks. Beautiful amblygonite gemstones come from Burma, Kazakhstan, and Brazil; violet-colored stones come from Namibia; and dark blue ones come from Kenya. Beautiful amblygonites also occur in the United States. In Europe, they are found in Germany, France, and Spain, but these are not gem-quality. Cut amblygonites are usually very small. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington has a cut yellow stone weighing 62.5 carats and another yellow stone weighing 19.7 carats.
