Why Is My Amethyst Turning Green? Problems and Fixes

Ever noticed your amethyst picking a greenish tinge? You’re not alone. Amethysts can experience changes in color due to a wide range of factors, which can lead to permanent appearance changes if not handled with care.

So if you’re noticing an unexpected green color in your amethyst, explore with us all the possible reasons behind this color transformation and find out if there’s a way to get the amethyst back to its original color.

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Is Amethyst Supposed To Be Green?

Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz and its characteristic color is due to the presence of iron impurities in the crystal structure. Amethyst is, by definition, purple, therefore, it is not supposed to be green.

However, a very rare variety of amethyst exists in nature, which can be heated up to 500°C to form a green variety of quartz, also known as prasiolite.

Prasiolite is often wrongly marketed as green amethyst to mislead the consumers, but you must know the term “green amethyst” does not exist in the world of gemstones.

With that said, if your ‘purple’ amethyst is picking a green color, there can be several reasons behind that kind of transformation and the next section is all about that.

If your amethyst is turning black, you might want to check out the my article on the reasons of amethyst turning black.

Why Is My Amethyst Turning Green?

Some of the common reasons why an amethyst may turn green are as follows:

Heat Exposure

Constant exposure to heat can alter the internal chemistry of the amethyst. While the core element in the amethyst crystal is iron, traces of other minerals can also be found.

The trace minerals in the amethyst may react differently to high temperature and lead to a transformation in the color of the crystal.

For instance, the Brazilian amethyst can turn yellow, red, or green when exposed to a temperature of up to 500°C.

While having such high temperature environments outside of a lab is uncommon, consistent exposure to sunlight can still cause some amethyst varieties to turn green over time.

Artificial Dyes

It is also possible that what you have is not a real amethyst but a synthetic amethyst, which was artificially dyed or treated to mimic the characteristic purple color of real amethyst.

With time, these artificial dyes on the crystals start fading off as a result of exposure to environmental factors and reveal the original color of the crystal underneath. So if you’re noticing a gradual transformation in the color of your amethyst, it is highly likely that it has been artificially colored.

Mineral Inclusions

Sometimes there can be natural variations within amethysts due to different mineral deposits, such as chlorite, within the crystal.

The presence of different mineral inclusions in the crystal or the varying sources of amethyst extraction can produce unique colors and shades.

To be precise, some amethysts naturally have a greenish tint or may contain zones of green within the purple crystal, which can become prominent with the passage of time.

Age

If you’ve had your amethyst for a long time, it is only natural for it to undergo changes over the years. These changes can manifest in several ways, such as color shifts, changes in clarity, or development of inclusions.

So if your amethyst is developing a subtle green hue, it might just be a consequence of the natural changes occurring within the crystal.

Contact With Chemicals

It is not uncommon for amethysts, especially porous or lower quality varieties, to react with the substances in the environment and experience a change in their color.

If your amethyst has been exposed to harsh environmental conditions or chemical substances, such as those in household cleaning agents, the color change is likely due to that negligence.

Possible Energy Shifts

While there’s no scientific evidence to support the idea that amethyst changes color due to the absorption of negative energies around it creating an energy shift within the crystal, some people still attribute the color changes of the crystal to metaphysical influences.

If you subscribe to that perspective, the change of color in your amethyst could be attributed to negative energies interfering with the crystal.

How Do I Make My Amethyst Purple Again?

Color transformations that happen due to heat or chemical exposure can be challenging to reverse. You must take necessary precautions to preserve the original color of your amethyst crystal.

If you’re concerned about the change in color, consider consulting with a gemologist to have a professional assessment of the crystal.

Apart from that, you can try alternative methods, such as moonlight soaking or crystal recharging, via a crystal recharging device, to restore or improve the color of your amethyst.

But again, the effectiveness of these methods is controversial and not scientifically proven.

In Short

The changing colors of amethyst is a multifarious phenomenon. From exposure to environmental factors to signs of aging, the color transformations in amethysts can be attributed to a combination of natural processes and external influences.

To maintain the original charm of your amethyst, it is necessary to take all precautions to prevent any undesirable changes in your crystal because most of these transformations are irreversible.