gems, beryl, emerald, Kazakhstan, Delbegetey, inclusions, gemology, provenance, origin determination, fluid inclusions, oxygen isotopes

The aim of this study is to provide the first detailed mineralogical and fluid-inclusion description of emeralds from the Delbegetey deposit (Kazakhstan). The characteristic features of Delbegetey emeralds are established: they show dissolution figures on crystal faces, a bluish colour with distinct colour zoning; their refractive indices are ω = 1.566–1.570 and ε = 1.558–1.562, while the specific gravity is 2.65 ± 0.005—relatively low for natural emeralds; they contain only trace amounts of common impurities (Fe, Mg, Na, etc.) and are coloured by Cr and V. Fluid inclusions of all types are strongly vapour-rich, and primary inclusions homogenize to liquid at 395–420 °C. The lattice oxygen-isotope composition (δ¹⁸O SMOW = 11.3 ‰) places the deposit within the range typical of other granite-related emerald occurrences. Emerald crystallization occurred in a low-density (0.40–0.55 g cm⁻³) aqueous fluid composed of (mol %) 75.6–97.4 H₂O, 0.0–18.4 CO₂, 0.0–0.9 CH₄, with a salinity of 4.06–9.65 wt % NaCl equiv. Isochore calculations indicate formation pressures of 570–1240 bar.

gems, beryl, emerald, Colombia, Muzo, Chivor, Cosquez, Zambia, Afghanistan, Panjshir

From Gems & Gemology, Spring 2008: The Emerald Book was created to provide insight into the world of emeralds and the emerald industry, and to highlight Jaipur as a trading center. As a promotional book published in conjunction with the 2006 Jaipur Jewellery Show, it has a polished, professional look: The layout is attractive, and it is lavishly illustrated and printed on high-quality glossy paper. However, the text is organized in a way that makes it difficult, at first glance, to grasp the general content. There is no table of contents, and the book starts immediately with the chapter “Romance and Rhapsody,” describing the earliest sources of emerald and showing historic pieces of emerald jewelry. It reviews the discovery of Colombian emeralds and their effect on the world market, especially on Indian royalty. Also shown are examples of emerald carvings throughout history, and important emeralds and impressive pieces of jewelry (some with Indian designs), many of which are now owned by royal European families or held in museums throughout the world. Two brief sections cover beliefs in the magical power of emerald, especially within ancient Indian philosophies. The next section describes thehistory and evolution of the emerald trade in Jaipur. It gives the reader a good understanding of how Jaipur built its position as an emerald center, and how its sources of supply changed over the years, with Zambia now the only important one. A very concise overview of the most important commercial emerald mines reveals some interesting facts about the current mining situation. However, a section about “The Great Jewellers” seems a bit out of place. Although much attention is paid to their general impact on the jewelry trade, only one example is given of how a jeweler was inspired to use emeralds in a piece of jewelry. In my opinion, more in-depth information about this jeweler’s thought process would have made this section more interesting and appropriate. There is little geology or gemology in this book. As a result, a discussion about the term red emerald seems sudden and out of place, since the reader must have a thorough understanding of beryl gemology to be able to follow it. For all those who love emeralds and jewelry, though, this book gives an interesting and honest insider’s look into the emerald trade. The authors express great pride in the profession and in Jaipur’s status within the industry, but they also mention smuggling, robberies, violence at emerald sources, and concerns about the many museum pieces that are meant to be shown to the public, but all too often remain locked away in vaults. HANCO ZWAAN, Netherlands Gemmological Laboratory National Museum of Natural History Naturalis Leiden, The Netherlands

gems, beryl, emerald, antique emerald necklace, Roman, Egyptian, Egypt

The present study refers to the characterization of an emerald and gold necklace, dating from the first century AD, found in Oplontis (Torre Annunziata, Naples, Italy), using non-destructive methodologies such as EPMA and microFTIR. Reference samples, from mines known to be active in the Roman Imperial period, were collected and analyzed using the same techniques. Experimental data were also statistically treated in order to classify the emeralds' mines. The comparison of archaeological and reference data allowed to hypothesize, with high probability, an Egyptian origin for the Oplontis emeralds – even if the Habachtal mine cannot be definitively excluded.

beryl, emerald, alexandrite, phlogopite, beryl, chrysoberyl, phenakite, plagioclase, margarite, tremolite, gems, Urals, Russia

A study of the physical and chemical conditions governing emerald mineralization in the Urals. It examines the conditions under which emerald forms within the regional deposits, addressing the relationship between mineral formation and the chemical environment of crystallization.

gems, bery, beryl, emerald, Afghanistan, Panjshir

As part of U.S. Geological Survey assistance in the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Geological Survey is working with the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and Industries and the Afghan Geological Survey in conducting a mineral resource assessment of Afghanistan. In the early stage of this assessment, we are evaluating Afghanistan’s gemstone deposits. Afghanistan is rich in gemstone deposits including emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, and pegmatite-hosted semiprecious gems. This report presents a preliminary assessment of the geologic setting and origin of emerald deposits in the Panjsher Valley in the Hindu Kush Mountains of northeastern Afghanistan. Existing geologic maps and reports published by Soviet and Afghan geologists in the mid-1970s have been translated and are discussed. These maps and reports are used in conjunction with our new field and petrographic data to allow us to critically evaluate the Soviet geologic and tectonic interpretations for the northeastern part of the country. We also discuss the character of the emerald deposits and present a working hypothesis on the origin of the emeralds.

gems, ancient jewelry, Pontic, Black Sea, necklace, garnet, beryl, emerald, glass, gold

I. Introduction. North Pontic polychrome necklaces of the 1st century AD. Analysis of the structure and decorative motifs of necklaces with pendants in the shape of butterflies makes it possible to single out their characteristic features: (1) the main part of the necklace consisted of a chain intricately plaited like a braid, known as a ‘fox-tail’; (2) the central part of the necklace consisted of cabochon inlays, usually in oval settings or cells. Apart from one such necklace, which originated from the island of Ithaka, all necklaces with butterfly-pendants for which the find-spots are known come from the North Pontic region, mainly from Olbia and its environs, but also from Chersonesos and the Ust’-Alma necropolis in the western Crimea (I shall be discussing at this point in time 15 such finds and have also prepared a comprehensive study of these objects complete with a catalogue, so here I shall be confining myself to the conclusions drawn on the basis of this research). There is also a variant from the north-western part of the Pontic region (Porogi) of jewellery reflecting strong barbarian influence, made up from flat and ribbed spacer-beads, pendants in the form of small circles, and a central pendant in the form of a highly stylized butterfly, the head of which consists of a round cell, while the wings and abdomen are represented by drop-shaped cells. The pendant of the necklace from the Burachkov collection found at Kerch is a still more stylized depiction of a butterfly—the cells have been arranged on a rhomboid plate: a round one and others which are drop-shaped and heart-shaped representing the head, wings, and body of the butterfly. Finally, there is a necklace from a Sarmatian burial near the village of Petriki with a crescent-shaped pendant, which—considering its specific structural features—had originally also been a pendant in the form of a butterfly, not a crescent-shaped pendant, but from the start a butterfly-shaped pendant, and the necklace with the crescent-shaped pendant had probably originally had a pendant in the shape of a butterfly.

gems, ruby, sapphire, emerald, Pakistan, locality, species, lapis lazuli, peridot

For millennia, minerals and gemstones have been gathered and traded from the countries surrounding present-day Pakistan. While the Karakoram Mountains hosted portions of the Silk Road and other routes over which gems and minerals were traded, Pakistan's magnificent gem deposits were for the most part left undiscovered until the 20th century. Since then, a few daring miners, collectors and dealers have challenged the extreme climate, daunting terrain and rocky political landscape to bring the world some of its finest mineral treasures. No. 6 in the popular extraLapis English mineralogical monograph series, Pakistan - Minerals, Mountains & Majesty is packed with unmatched locality information, detailed maps, stories behind the finds and of course unforgettable photographs.

corundum, history.1, chemistry.2, gems

Gemstones set on ancient jewels are invaluable witnesses from the past, and to obtain these prized items, humans established long-distance trade routes whose extension and historical evolution pose major archaeological questions; chemical characterisation has proven especially useful in this context, as the elemental composition reveals the gem’s identity—such as SiO₂ for quartz, Al₂O₃ for ruby and sapphire, or Be₃Al₂Si₃O₁₈ for emerald—while trace element patterns, when compared to reference samples, may indicate geographic origin; however, such analyses must be non-invasive (requiring neither sampling nor dismounting) and non-destructive (leaving no damage), and ion beam techniques like PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) and PIGE (particle-induced γ-ray emission) satisfy these demands by operating directly on the surface in air with 20 μm resolution—PIXE detecting elements heavier than sodium with sensitivity to the μg/g level, and PIGE extending coverage to light elements (Li, Be, B, F); additionally, Raman micro-spectrometry is employed to identify inclusions beyond the reach of the ion beam, as these features often inform provenance in gemmology; the combined use of external beam PIXE/PIGE and Raman spectroscopy is demonstrated in this study through analyses of ancient rubies from a Mesopotamian statuette and of emeralds and garnets set in Barbarian jewels from the Dark Ages.

gems, gemstones, southern India, Palghat–Cauvery, mineralization

We summarize here the occurrence of a number of semiprecious stones within a major gemstone belt in the Palghat-Cauvery shear zone system close to the northern margin of the Madurai Granulite Block, southern India. The gem mineralization in this belt includes different varieties of corundum (star ruby, sapphire), cordierite (iolite), feldspar (moonstones and sunstone of various hues), beryl (emerald, aquamarine), chrysoberyl (alexandrite), kornerupine, topaz, spinel, crystal quartz and amethyst, among others. Gem mineralisation has not been directly dated, but is associated with pegmatites that crosscut rocks metamorphosed in late Neoproterozoic/Early Cambrian times. Similar aged gem mineralization occurs south of the Achankovil Shear Zone in southern India, as well as in Sri Lanka and Madagascar and strengthen the view of a broad late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian gemstone province in central Gondwana. The ruby mineralization within this belt can be correlated with similar occurrences in eastern Madagascar, supporting a correlation between the Malagasy Betsimisaraka suture zone and the Palghat-Cauvery shear zone system in southern India.

gems, ancient Egypt, ancient trade, commerce, archaeology, archaeology, Hellenistic, Alexander the Great, Egypt, Libya, North Africa, Red Sea, beryl, emerald

The harbor town of Berenike functioned in the long-distance trade between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean Basin from the third century BC to the early sixth century AD. This contribution aims to view the Berenike material within its wider historical context through a preliminary analysis of the combined archaeological and textual evidence. By comparing the results of the work of different specialists, the potential of a multi-disciplinary approach becomes apparent. A number of caveats are given, which illustrate the interpretative problems arising from comparing the results of different disciplines. Lastly, this attempt at integration shows that the discrepancies between the different sources offer important insights.