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Amethyst is an extremely sought-after gem which has been valued by many civilizations since antiquity. A variety of vitreous quartz, amethyst often forms dramatic prismatic crystals which are often formed into jewelry without being cut. Brazil and Uruguay are common sources of high quality amethyst. In the early Christian church, amethyst was believed to guard against intoxication, hence its derivation from the Greek "amethustos," meaning "not drunk." Deep red garnet is derived from a number of minerals, including pyrope and almandine. Popularized in Bohemia in the Czech Republic, garnet has been used in decoration and jewelry across Europe for many years. Its color is generally a dark burgundy, sometimes with a hint of orange, pink, or purple. Jasper is opaque chalcedony quartz that comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, depending on the trace minerals present in the stone. Landscape jasper, which seems to show miniature earth scenes, and ocean jasper with its characteristic green swirls are both popular. Jasper was used for decorative and medicinal in many ancient cultures and the Babylonians believed it was beneficial to women's health. Discovered in 1978 in the Murun mountains in Yakutia, near the Charo River, bright purple Russian charoite is a silicate mineral composed of potassium, calcium and sodium. This purple, fibrous material may also contain patterns of black, white, orange and transparent crystals.
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