Gemstones from Volcanoes Can Rock in Jewelry

Did you know that some gemstones made into jewelry were formed by volcanic ash or during the lava flow?  Many of the volcano rocks turn into tourist souvenirs, but some are so beautiful they end up in jewelry.  Others in jewelry may be man-made stones created using ash left by the volcano eruption.  Below is a guide to some of the names for volcanic gemstones you may see in the marketplace.

First, let us begin with Lava Stone, which is not really gemstone quality material.  However, the rocky-looking stone is becoming quite popular for the natural or BoHo look in jewelry, whether made into beads or just drilled as is.  It makes lightweight jewelry, can be dyed, and mixes nicely with other natural stones.  It also appears in aromatherapy jewelry since its porous nature makes it hold onto fragrances for a short time.  

You may or may not have heard of Helenite (aka obsidianite), which is typically a green gemstone formed as a result of Mount St. Helens in Skamania County, Washington eruption in 1980.  Although it mostly comes in emerald green color, it has been treated to other colors like ruby read and ceylon sapphire blue for use in jewelry.

Obsidian, Quartz "diamonds," and Xenolith discovered from eruption that happened over a thousand  years ago of the now dormant Mount Konocti in Lake County, California.  Hikers and self-proclaimed miners may find their own stones around the mountain or nearby lake.  Collectables rocks and hand-made jewelry are most likely sold in local stores and tourist areas too.

Non-jewelry quality Olivine may be found in Hawaii from Mount Kilauea eruption in 2018.  You can not collect it yourself but may be able to buy some small stones from shops there.  However, the Olivine found there was not the jewelry quality known as Peridot.   

You may not have heard of Vesuvianite (aka vasonite or idocrase), which was discovered in 1795 around in Italy's Mount Vesuvius within the lava rock formations.  The main color associated with the volcano is the light yellow-green and sometimes brown-green. Other colors are more rare, as are the jewelry quality stones for faceting or cabochons.

This may not be all the gemtones created by volcanoes.  It certainly is not all the volcanic rocks out there.  It you have favorites not listed, please share the name of the stone and its volcano in the comments for this blog post.