Empress of Uruguay

The geode was found in a mine near the city of Artigas, known for its spectacular geodes and amethysts. It was extracted from the surrounding basalt in a complicated process that took three months. The top part was cut to allow for a view of the interior and the amethyst crystals that were on the top were sold. The decision was made to leave the majority of the geode intact for exhibition purposes. It is part of a travelling exhibition and has been on display at the American Museum of Natural History, among other places.^[2]

The piece is currently on public display at The Crystal Caves museum located in Atherton, a small town in the state of Queensland, Australia. In 2011, while it was on display at the Crystal Caves Museum, the geode was damaged when a tourist secretly removed a piece the size of a tennis ball.^{[citation needed]}