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Oregon Sunstone was declared the official Gemstone of the State of Oregon in 1987. It is found in the high desert of Southeastern Oregon near the small town of Plush in Warner Valley. This is very close to where I live. Our local Rock and Arrowhead Club has a claim, but so far all the sunstones found there have been the colorless variety.
Fact:Sunstone is a member of the feldspar group of minerals and is closely related to Moonstone. It is formed and crystalized in a lava flow. Sunstones range in color "from water clear through pale yellow, soft pink, and blood red to deep blue and green. Some of the deeper colored stones have bands of varying color; a few stones show two different colors when viewed from different directions." (quote, Oregon Geology) The color is caused by tiny crystals of copper within the stones which often results in "schiller" or shimmer that is usually a peach color. Sunstone is cut into cabochons or the deeper transparent colors may be faceted.
Sunstone is an ancient gem, in fact sunstones have been discovered in Viking Burial mounds. Sunstone also occurs in Tvedestrand, Norway; near Lake Baikal, Russia; Middletown, PA., and Statesville, NC. Only the Oregon Sunstone has the copper inclusions giving it the unique colors.
Fancy: Among the Vikings it was thought to be an aid to navagation. The Native people in Oregon used it for trade and barter.
Finished Jewelry using Sunstone
Jewelry using Azurite-Malachite and Sunstone
Sunstone Cabochons Available for Jewelry
Designer Jewelry Home Page
Gemstones Home Page
My sources for information about Oregon Sunstone:
The Oregon Sunstones Inc.
Dust Devil Mining Co.
Outback Gems, The Oregon Sunstone Story
State Gemstone, Oregon Sunstone
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