Microcline

specimen number:
8311353

location:
Lake George, Park Co., Colorado, USA

description:
Blocky bluish green crystals of microcline, this is the variety known as amazonite, measuring to just under 2.0 cm in size with minor matrix. In good condition.

The Lake George area in Park County, Colorado, is world-renowned for its exceptional specimens of amazonite, a vibrant blue-green variety of microcline feldspar. Geologically, these crystals are found within the Pikes Peak Granite, a massive 1.1 billion-year-old Precambrian pluton that contains numerous pegmatite pockets. These pockets, formed by late-stage magmatic fluids, often host amazonite alongside smoky quartz, forming some of the most aesthetic mineral combinations in the world. Mining and collecting in this region date back to the late 1800s, with a significant surge in activity during the mid-20th century as collectors and commercial miners like the Dorris family established famous claims such as the Smoky Hawk and the Lucky Monday. These operations, which involve careful hand-excavation of fragile miarolitic cavities, continue to be active today, particularly in the pegmatite-rich hills north of the town of Lake George. Historically, the area has remained the premier global source for these distinctively colored feldspars, which are prized for their sharp crystal forms and intense saturation.

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