chrysoprase : List Of Minerals : The Stone Network
The Business To Business Portal For The Natural Stone Trade

Stone Blogs

Asia Blog
Europe Blog
Global Blog

Stone Database

Natural Stone Database

Stone Fairs

Exhibitions 2013
Exhibitions 2012
Exhibitions 2011
Exhibitions 2010

Stone Images

By Country Of Origin
Granite
Limestone
Marble
Onyx
Sandstone
Slate
Travertine

Stone Images
3,660+ Slabs

Granite Colors
Limestone Colors
Marble Colors
Onyx Colors
Quartzite Colors
Sandstone Colors
Slate Colors
Soapstone Colors
Travertine Colors

Stone Machines

New Stone Machines
Used Stone Machines

Stone Sites

Stone Forums
Stone Magazines
Stone Portals

Stone Supplies & Fabricators

Australia
Canada
United Kingdom
U.S.A.

Stone Testing

ASTM
BRE
Sandberg
Stats
Stone Initiatives
UKAS

Petrology

Granite
Limestone
Marble
Quartzite
Sandstone
Slate
Travertine

Rocks

Igneous
List of Minerals
List of Rocks
Metamorphic
Minerals
Sedimentary

Various Resources

A To Z Stone Names
Anti Slip
Abacus Index
BIDA
Building Conservation
Building Design
English Heritage
Maintenance Products
RIBA
RICS
Ryan Links
Salvo
SPAB
Stone Federation GB
Trade Terminology

Chrysoprase or chrysophrase is a gemstone variety of chalcedony (fibrous form of quartz) that contains small quantities of nickel. Its color is normally apple-green, but varies to deep green. It is cryptocrystalline, which means that it is composed of crystals so fine that they cannot be seen as distinct particles under normal magnification. This sets it apart from rock crystal, amethyst, citrine, and the other varieties of crystalline quartz which are basically transparent and formed from easily recognized six-sided crystals. Other members of the cryptocrystalline quartz family include agate, carnelian, and onyx. Unlike many non-transparent members of the quartz family, it is the color of chrysoprase, rather than any pattern of markings, that makes it desirable. The word chrysoprase comes from the Greek chrysos meaning 'gold' and prason, meaning 'leek'.

Due to its comparative scarcity and pleasing green color, chrysoprase is one of the most prized varieties of quartz. Higher quality specimens often rival fine jade, for which it is sometimes mistaken. Cut into cabochons (smooth domed gems with flat backs for use in jewelry), it can be as sought after as fine amethyst.

Unlike emerald which owes its beautiful green color to the presence of chromium, the color of chrysoprase is due to trace amounts of nickel in the structure. The nickel reportedly occurs as platelets of the talc-like mineral willemseite. Chrysoprase results from the deep weathering or lateritization of nickeliferous serpentinites or other ultramafic ophiolite rocks. In the Australian deposits, chrysoprase occurs as veins and nodules with brown goethite and other iron oxides in the magnesite-rich saprolite below an iron and silica cap.

As with all forms of quartz, chrysoprase has a hardness of 6 - 7 on the Mohs hardness scale and a conchoidal fracture like flint.

The best known sources of chrysoprase are Queensland, Western Australia, Germany, Poland, Russia, Arizona, California, and Brazil.

  • Revelation
  • Chrysoprasus is the tenth precious stone of the wall of city in described in the Revelation 21:20.

    Trade Supplies
    M.I.A. Information

    Classic Black Granites

    Information
    Information
  • Absolute Black Granite : Black Galaxy, Star Galaxy, Nero Impala etc. Black is popular, black looks great, black is more expensive >>>
  • Black Galaxy Granite : Quarrying & Quality Information >>>
  • Copyright :
    Legal Information
    This web site is protected under International Law by the
    Digital Millennium Copyright Act 1998.

    If you wish to link to this site please feel free to do so HOWEVER blatant design copying, code copying and theft of bandwidth will result in legal action!

    Delicious Logo ImageDelicious Digg Logo ImageDigg Facebook Logo ImageFacebook Reddit Logo ImageReddit StumbleUpon Logo ImageStumbleUpon Twitter Logo ImageTwitter

    Home : Contact : About : Legal : Copyright 1998-2012 The Stone Network

    Protected by Copyscape Duplicate Content Tool