Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site
The recognition and valorization of geological heritage in Uruguay is an incipient and developing process. The International Union of Geological Sciences designated the deposits of amethysts of Los Catalanes Gemological District, in northern Uruguay, as one of the first 100 “Geological Heritage Site...
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OICC Press
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Geoconservation Research |
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| Online Access: | https://oiccpress.com/geoconservation-research/article/amethyst-deposits-of-the-los-catalanes-gemological-district-artigas-department-the-first-uruguayan-iugs-geological-heritage-site/fulltext/ |
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| author | César Goso Mauricio Faraone |
| author_facet | César Goso Mauricio Faraone |
| author_sort | César Goso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The recognition and valorization of geological heritage in Uruguay is an incipient and developing process. The International Union of Geological Sciences designated the deposits of amethysts of Los Catalanes Gemological District, in northern Uruguay, as one of the first 100 “Geological Heritage Sites” on October 22, 2022, in the Mineralogy category, the first in Uruguay. It is part of one of the most important continental flood volcanism episodes on Earth (end of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous). The Paraná igneous province, a dominant tholeiitic basaltic and scarce acidic province that extends into parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, contains amethyst and agate deposits of unique international significance because of frequent mega-geode concentration, enormous reserves, and gemstone quality of varied size and forms. Although quartz-filled geodic cavities are common in the southern Serra Geral Formation in Brazil (Ametista do Sul, Quaraí), the more intense purple amethysts in giant geode deposits are found in the Arapey Formation in the lower-middle basin of the Catalán Grande stream in Uruguay. This contributes to the empowerment and pride of the local population as well as raising awareness of the need for the conservation of part of this mineral resource. Further, there was a recent inventory assessment that contributed to the understanding of the real scientific value of this designation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a3329dd4b6414304aef771cab2cbb882 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2645-4661 2588-7343 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | OICC Press |
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| series | Geoconservation Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-a3329dd4b6414304aef771cab2cbb8822025-02-03T09:51:54ZengOICC PressGeoconservation Research2645-46612588-73432023-12-016230832110.57647/j.gcr.2023.0602.20452Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage SiteCésar Gosohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9704-9171Mauricio Faraonehttps://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000The recognition and valorization of geological heritage in Uruguay is an incipient and developing process. The International Union of Geological Sciences designated the deposits of amethysts of Los Catalanes Gemological District, in northern Uruguay, as one of the first 100 “Geological Heritage Sites” on October 22, 2022, in the Mineralogy category, the first in Uruguay. It is part of one of the most important continental flood volcanism episodes on Earth (end of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous). The Paraná igneous province, a dominant tholeiitic basaltic and scarce acidic province that extends into parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay, contains amethyst and agate deposits of unique international significance because of frequent mega-geode concentration, enormous reserves, and gemstone quality of varied size and forms. Although quartz-filled geodic cavities are common in the southern Serra Geral Formation in Brazil (Ametista do Sul, Quaraí), the more intense purple amethysts in giant geode deposits are found in the Arapey Formation in the lower-middle basin of the Catalán Grande stream in Uruguay. This contributes to the empowerment and pride of the local population as well as raising awareness of the need for the conservation of part of this mineral resource. Further, there was a recent inventory assessment that contributed to the understanding of the real scientific value of this designation.https://oiccpress.com/geoconservation-research/article/amethyst-deposits-of-the-los-catalanes-gemological-district-artigas-department-the-first-uruguayan-iugs-geological-heritage-site/fulltext/amethystsgeological heritageinventory assessmentparaná igneous provinceuruguay |
| spellingShingle | César Goso Mauricio Faraone Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site Geoconservation Research amethysts geological heritage inventory assessment paraná igneous province uruguay |
| title | Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site |
| title_full | Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site |
| title_fullStr | Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site |
| title_full_unstemmed | Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site |
| title_short | Amethyst Deposits of the Los Catalanes Gemological District (Artigas Department): The First Uruguayan IUGS Geological Heritage Site |
| title_sort | amethyst deposits of the los catalanes gemological district artigas department the first uruguayan iugs geological heritage site |
| topic | amethysts geological heritage inventory assessment paraná igneous province uruguay |
| url | https://oiccpress.com/geoconservation-research/article/amethyst-deposits-of-the-los-catalanes-gemological-district-artigas-department-the-first-uruguayan-iugs-geological-heritage-site/fulltext/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cesargoso amethystdepositsoftheloscatalanesgemologicaldistrictartigasdepartmentthefirsturuguayaniugsgeologicalheritagesite AT mauriciofaraone amethystdepositsoftheloscatalanesgemologicaldistrictartigasdepartmentthefirsturuguayaniugsgeologicalheritagesite |