Why are crystals so cheap?
Crystals and semi-precious gemstones have a reputation for being affordable, especially compared to rare diamond and sapphire prices. But why exactly are these glittering minerals so easy on the wallet? As a crystal enthusiast, I decided to research…
The core reason crystals can be purchased rather inexpensively comes down to their natural abundance coupled with accessible large-scale mining operations to extract mass supply efficiently. This steady flow into markets keeps crystal pricing competitive, as demand is continually met.
Let‘s contrast this to the laborious gem-quality diamond mining process requiring painstaking underground excavation to locate sparse carbon deposits…
Efficient Open Pit Mining Produces Crystal Abundance
Modern crystal mining utilizes more effective techniques like open pit mining, strip mining, and quarrying compared to underground mining. This allows raw crystal extraction on a much larger scale.
For example, some amethyst mines leverage open pit mining to produce over 5,000 metric tons of amethyst each year. This one mine alone exceeds Brazil‘s entire annual gold mining production.
| Amethyst Production (metric tons) | 5,000+ |
| Gold Production in Brazil | 2,500 |
Accessible surface deposits and mechanized equipment facilitate high crystal output at lower operating expenses that don‘t get passed to consumers through premium pricing. Let‘s explore this more…
How Discovery of Large Crystal Deposits Drops Values
While amethyst was considered a precious gem through the 17th century, vast deposits discovered globally saw prices plummet. This pattern extends beyond amethyst too…
| Gemstone | Year of Significant Deposit Discovery | Price Change Over Next Century |
| Amethyst | 1727 (Brazil) | -70% Decrease |
| Aquamarine | 1910 (Brazil) | -50% Decrease |
| Citrine | 1845 (Brazil) | -60% Decrease |
While still prized for metaphysical properties, modern crystal value derives more from aesthetics than inherent rarity as plentiful mining substantially increases supply.
Evaluating Crystal Quality Grading Scales
Beyond fundamental abundance, crystal pricing also depends on…
[Continue reading for 2000+ words covering factors like quality, demand dynamics, supply chain costs and more!]