How is amethyst mined?

How is amethyst mined? The pit miners recover the amethyst by digging downward with picks and shovels into the various layers of sedi- ments until a productive one is reached, typically from 1 to 3 m below the surface. They then remove all of the rocks and sediments in this layer and subsequently wash them to reveal the amethyst.

The pit miners recover the amethyst by digging downward with picks and shovels into the various layers of sedi- ments until a productive one is reached, typically from 1 to 3 m below the surface. They then remove all of the rocks and sediments in this layer and subsequently wash them to reveal the amethyst.