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Hyperion • Inclusion Search Engine • Lotus Gemology
A cordierite (Iolite) inclusion is a rare and welcome guest in this ruby from Greenland. 1.16mm long.
A prominent, intricate fingerprint pattern consisting of interconnected communication tubes extending from a mineral inclusion nucleus serves to confirm that this Sri Lankan spinel is natural. The form taken by the tubes reveals the isometric symmetry of the underlying spinel. 5X
Quartz and apatite together in a Sri Lankan cobalt spinel. 5.1 mm approximate horizontal field of view.
Acicular reflective elongated thin lathes of exsolution högbomite can result in chatoyancy in some particularly special gem spinels from Sri Lanka. 40X
Xenomorphic carbonate (probably dolomite) filling an octahedral negative crystal with oriented needles at the corners. The needles might be either mineral matter or acicular voids. Spinel host from Burma (Myanmar). 200X.
A lovely thin film inclusion is seen in reflected light within this untreated ruby from the Thai/Cambodian border mines. The hexagonal healing pattern betrays the fact that this inclusion lies in the plane of the basal pinacoid.
Lovely apatite prisms enrich the interior of this purple spinel from Sri Lanka’s gem gravels. Apatite is a common guest in spinel.
When a rutile-silk containing sapphire is heated, titanium from the rutile dissolves into the surrounding sapphire. Once in solid solution, the titanium reacts with iron, creating a blue color. The result is tiny blue halos surrounding the remnants of the rutile silk, a process dubbed “inkspot internal diffusion” by John Koivula. This partially dissolved silk with blue color concentrations is a clear sign that the sapphire was heated.
Dense clouds of exsolved titanium-bearing minerals have created the fanciful scenery within this untreated sapphire from Madagascar. As the crystal cooled these growing clouds sucked titanium from the surrounding sapphire, thus robbing it of an essential chromophore. The result is decolorized zones surrounding the clouds, a process dubbed “chromophore cannibalization” by microphotographic maestro John Koivula.
This image clearly illustrates what master photomicrographer John Koivula has termed “chromophore cannibalization.” As titanium is drawn out of solid solution to form exsolved rutile silk, the area in the vicinity is decolorized, losing its blue color. This is a natural process and is the reverse of “internal diffusion,” where heat treatment sends the titanium back into solution, creating blue clouds or “inkspots” around the rutile remnants.
This image clearly illustrates what master photomicrographer John Koivula has termed “chromophore cannibalization.” As titanium is drawn out of solid solution to form exsolved rutile silk, the area in the vicinity is decolorized, losing its blue color. This is a natural process and is the reverse of “internal diffusion,” where heat treatment sends the titanium back into solution, creating blue clouds or “inkspots” around the rutile remnants.
When Sri Lankan yellow sapphires with exsolved particles are heat treated, magnesium exits the particles and creates yellow-producing trapped-hole color centers. The result is color concentration around the particles, a process termed “internal diffusion” by gemologist, John Koivula.
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