ORYKTOLOGIKA NEA-NEWS ON MINERALS ( January-February 2011) PDF

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-NEWS ON MINERALS -1- Vol 26 (No 151) 2011 NEWS ON MINERALS Vol. 26 , No 151 , January-February 2011 26 , 151 , - 2011 15€ - Price of each issue 15 € - HELLAS - PIRAEUS ISSN 1011-5870 -NEWS ON MINERALS -2- Vol 26 (No 151) 2011 , Skardu , – Tourmaline (Schörl) ,Skardu area , Pakistan (8 X4X3 cms) ( )...

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-NEWS ON MINERALS

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

" N EWS ON MI N ERALS V ol. 2 6 , No 1 5 1 , J a nua ry-Februa ry 2 0 1 1 26 , 1 51 , 2011 "

1 5 € - Pric e of e ac h issue 1 5 €

- H ELLAS - PI RAEU S I SSN 1 0 1 1 -58 7 0

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, Skardu ,

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

– Tourmaline (Schörl) ,Skardu area , Pakistan (8 X4X3 cms)

( ) , Suppat , Balochistan , Peridot crystals (gem olivine) in rock matrix , Suppat mine , Balochistan , Pakistan . (2,5 1,5

.-cms)

Alexandra G. Minatidou –NEWS ON MINERALS GeMin The Inspirer and the Soul of ORYKTOLOGIKA NEA -NEWS ON MINERALS and GeMin Expo in GREECE

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ORYKTOLOGI KA NEA NEW S ON MI NERALS I SSN 101 1-58 70 * h i"k " g 19 86 Established in January 1986) Editor and Ow ner : Dimitris G. Minatidis , M. Sc. , AGCC Geologist-Geochemist 70 Gr. Lambraki Avenue , Piraeus EL- 185 32 , HELLAS Tel Mobile : + 30- 6 97977 1898 Tel. Land : + 30- 213 -025 -8688 FAX :+ 30-210 -413 2-57 0 e-mail : [email protected] , [email protected] Web : w w w .gemin.eu Subscription – h : 1 year 90 EURO - 2 years 180 EURO ( ONLY Air Mail Subscriptions) Previous volumes: 1- 14 ( years 1986– 1 999) in paper form , 80 EURO/ volume Vol. 15- 25 ( Years 2000- 2010) , available in CD at 400 Euro/ CD Payment by W ire transfer to : D. Minatidis Account number : I BAN GR840 8 40 1050 0000 05505505486 CI TI BANK , Sw ift Code : CI TI GRAA Piraeus Branch , Dimotiko Theatro , Korai Square , Piraeus , Hellas

Circulation in 2 5 Countries around the World. Advertisement* ( Prices per I nsertion per issue) COLOR BLACK & WHI TE Size Prices in EURO A4 300 150 A4/ 2 180 100 A4/ 4 100 75 4

i hg – 2nd Page : 500 Euro j l – Back Cover : 400 Euro - "h gl ji " kg All advertisements are prepaid. * European Union residents add 23 % V. A .T . on total value. ORYKTOLOGI KA NEA - NEWS ON MI NERALS sponsor the GeMin I nt ernational Mineral , Gemstone , Jew ellery and Fossil Exhibition held every year in Hellas since 1987. "j gl "hi "j i ikg " g "g kg d " NEWS ON MI NERALS - Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily represent opinion of ORYKTOLOGI KA NEA - NEWS ON MI NERALS -

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Aquamarine crystals on feldspars , Pakistan

*{ｳﾆﾅﾇ: 3,6 ﾁﾀﾂｳ – Weight : 3, 6 kilograms) Court esy : GANDAHARA GEMS STONES Peshawar Cit y , Pakist an

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

" fi " k 2001 , h gh " ヾ " gヾ 10 g, Barry Miller gヾ "k " g" i j , , gli : « g"ヾ " lg"hi gkg» i k g" k" " " g" k " i " " g " i ヾi ij i " i" j g" hi gkg. d g" ヾg hi g , kg lg" hi gkg" i " gヾ " k " ヾi " g" k " h g g g "k "i l j "k "ヾ "gヾ " i " g , kg "g . i g" ヾ kg " k jg" ヾ " hi gkg" i "ヾ "i g l " g "ヾ " lg0 k " j " ji" ki " kgj " ji lg" hi gkg" g , jii k " g " hi gkg g g g g" gヾ " k " g jk " g " k " g. g "g k " g lg i " " ; "i gki"ヾ ji "g ik " gkg"ヾ "gヾ i " g, ヾiki" k " " g g" k " hi k " g i gkk ikg . ヾ "ヾi ig–k" iki ;» jlgkg" g g g l g " lg" hi gkg" g k hi g k i h " jk " ghg gj . lg" hi gkg , kg" ヾ g i g " g ik " g , " gk g " i g" hi gkg , g hi gkg" k " ヾ " " k " i g k kg " gヾ " k " i " k jk , k "g "k " jk " g k " g "i " i g g jkg ( " jヾgj ). " jk g" j iヾg g l i : ik "gヾ " i " g" ヾ i " "k "hi k g k " hi g k i h " gヾ " k " ghg gj " g" i g g ki i "ji"j j " i"k "j i "k –i " ヾ i "j i k l h j g" ji" hi gkg" gヾ " k " ghg gj - g " ji ヾ gh ヾ ki" ヾi ヾk j " hi " i g " h gk " g" j k " g ヾi i" g ヾ «ヾ j » " k " g" g" g ji " g g jkg " k "hi g"ヾ "k "g ji " g"k j "k . jki"ji" g"kg"i h , kg " l i" k" g "jk g , i "j " "k " " k " l ji " k k "iヾ i " i . k

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In 10 February 2001 , that is 10 years ago , Barry Miller from New Jersey,USA wrote : “ Too many nice specimens? I've been wondering what others think about whether the market has been oversaturated with certain specimens. For example, when the beautiful zeolites from Poonah first became available several years ago, they were expensive. Now, there are so many being sold that they are rather cheap - for really nice specimens. This trend has also happened, to a lesser extent, to the nice cinnabar, scheelite, and aquamarine specimens from Pakistan and China. Is this a good phenomenon or not? What if you paid the relatively high prices years ago and now you've seen the value of the specimens greatly diminish. Just curious - what do you think? “ - A relatively recent find is the Demantoid garnets from Madagascar. Nice specimens are quite expensive , not necessarily in big sizes , depending on the size of demantoid garnet crystals , the number of the crystals ,the well formed (not broken) and so on. We may have the same thing here as History is repeated :After some years the prices of demantoid garnets from Madagascar may be lower than the prices now - provided that there will be a substantial supply from Madagascar mines – but in any case a Collector cannot wait for long time in order to add a “new find” mineral specimen in his/her collection until the prices will get lower in the years ahead . Any new product coming out and available to the public , has a high price until the next generation model appear in the market. Dimitris G. Minatidis

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

Top quality Gem Rough Mineral Specimens from Pakistan By Abdul Nasir , Village Juchur , P.O.Box 03 , Tehsil 8 , District Chitral , PKP , Pakistan Tel. +92- 943413084 , FAX : +92-943414580 , e-mail : abdulnasir63@yahoo. com

Lapis lazuli:- Situated in District Chitral, NWFP

Polished lapis ; size of specimen = 5,5 x 6,5 cms.

Slab of blue Lapis Lazuli. Size: 9,5 x 6,3 x 1,5 cms

Polished slab of Lapis Lazuli. Size about 6,5 x 4,8 x 1,9 cms. Lapis lazuli, also known as just lapis, is a stone with one of the longest traditions of being considered a gem, with a history stretching back to 5000 BC. Deep blue in color and opaque, this gemstone was highly prized by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, as can be seen by its prominent use in many of the treasures recovered from pharaonic tombs. It is still extremely popular today. Lapis is a rock and not a mineral because it is made up from various other minerals. To be a true mineral it would have one constituent only. Description The main component of lapis lazuli is lazurite (25% to 40%), a feldspathoid silicate mineral composed of sodium, aluminium, silicon, oxygen, sulfur, and chlorine. Most lapis also contains calcite (white), sodalite (blue) and pyrite (yellow). Other possible constituents are augite, diopside, enstatite, mica, hauynite, hornblende and nosean. Lazurite's formula is (Na,Ca) 8(AlSiO4) 6(S,SO4,Cl) 1-2. Lapis lazuli usually occurs in crystalline limestones as a result of contact metamorphism.The finest color is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite. There should be no white calcite veins and the pyrite inclusions should be small. Stones that contain too much calcite or pyrite are not as valuable. Patches of pyrite are an important help in identifying the stone as genuine and do not detract from its value. Often, inferior lapis is dyed to improve its color, but these are often a very dark blue with a noticeable grey cast. Laughing Buddha

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

General Category

Rock

Chemical formula

(Na,Ca) 8(AlSiO4) 6(S,SO4,Cl) 1-2

I dentification Color

Blue, mottled with white calcite and brassy pyrite

Crystal habit

Compact, massive

Crystal system

None, as lapis is a rock. Lazurite, the main constituent, frequently occurs as dodecahedra

Cleavage

None

Fracture

Uneven-Conciodal

Mohs Scale hardness

5 - 5.5

Luster

Vitreous to greasy

Refractive index

1.5

Streak

light blue

Specific gravity

4.4

Other Characteristics

The variations in composition cause a wide variation in the above values.

Sources The finest lapis comes from the Badakshan area of Afghanistan. This source of lapis may be the oldest continually worked set of mines in the world, the same mines operating today having supplied the lapis of the pharaohs. Using this ancient source, the I ndus Valley Civilization's artists used to make beautiful carvings and traders used to trade them to distant places. More recently, during the 1980s conflict with the USSR, Afghanistan resistance fighters disassembled unexploded Soviet landmines and ordnance and used the scavenged explosive to help mine lapis to further fund their resistance efforts. I n addition to the Afghan deposits, lapis has been found in the Andes near Ovalle, Chile, where it is usually pale rather than deep blue. Other less important sources are the Lake Baikal region of Russia, Siberia, Angola, Burma, Pakistan, USA (California and Colorado), Canada and India. Lapis Products

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

Sterling Silver and Lapis Lazuli Striped Cuff links

Lapis Lazuli and 18K Gold Rectangular Cuff Links

18K Gold Cuff Links

Bead Necklaces

Special Design Necklaces

Sterling Silver Chain Collars

Cuff Bracelets

Cabochons Bracelets

Chained Bracelets and Anklets

Lapis Lazuli 18K Gold Earrings

Chandelier Earrings

Hoop Earrings

Relieved Charms

Sterling Silver Artistic Charms

Sterling Silver Hinge Charms

Are you interested in top quality Lapis and other Gem Rough Mineral Specimens from Pakistan ? We offer a quality selection for the mineral collectors.

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Lapis Lazuli Home Accessories

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The Perfect Business Gift

Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

Lapis Lazuli Desk Accessories

Aquamarine

Aquamarine From the light blue of the sky to the deep blue of the sea, aquamarines shine over an extraordinarily beautiful range of mainly light blue colors. Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone. Women the world over love it for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye color, and creative gemstone designers are inspired by it as they are by hardly any other gem, which enables them to create new artistic cuts again and again. Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. Good feelings. Feelings which are based on mutuality and which prove their worth in lasting relationships. The blue of aquamarine is a divine, eternal color, because it is the color of the sky. However, aquamarine blue is also the color of water with its life-giving force. And aquamarine really does seem to have captured the lucid blue of the oceans. No wonder, when you consider that according to the saga it originated in the treasure chest of fabulous mermaids, and has, since ancient times, been regarded as the sailors' lucky stone. Its name is derived from the Latin 'aqua' (water) and 'mare' (sea). It is said that its strengths are developed to their best advantage when it is placed in water which is bathed in sunlight. However, it is surely better still to wear aquamarine, since according to the old traditions this promises a happy marriage and is said to bring the woman who wears it joy and wealth into the bargain. An ideal gem, not only for loving and married couples.

A Gemstone with many qualities Aquamarine is one of our most popular and best-known gemstones, and distinguishes itself by many good qualities. It is almost as popular as the classics: ruby, sapphire and emerald. In fact it is related to the emerald, both belonging to the beryl family. The color of aquamarine, however, is usually more even than that of the emerald. Much more often than its famous green cousin, aquamarine is almost entirely free of inclusions. Aquamarine has good hardness (7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale) and a wonderful shine. That hardness makes it very tough and protects it to a large extent from scratches. Iron is the substance which gives aquamarine its color, a color which ranges from an almost indiscernible pale blue to a strong sea-blue. The more intense the color of an aquamarine, the more value is put on it. Some aquamarines have a light, greenish shimmer; that too is a typical feature. However, it is a pure, clear blue that continues to epitomize the aquamarine, because it brings out so well the immaculate transparency and magnificent shine of this gemstone.

'Santa Maria' sets pulses racing The bright blue of this noble beryl is making more and more friends. The various color nuances of aquamarine have melodious names: the rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Italia mine in Brazil, which make every gemstone lover's heart beat faster, are called 'Santa Maria'. Similar nuances come from a few gemstone mines in Africa, particularly Mozambique. To help distinguish them from the Brazilian ones, these aquamarines have been given the name 'Santa Maria Africana'. The 'Espirito Santo' color of aquamarines from the Brazilian state of that name is of a blue that is not quite so intense. Yet other qualities are embodied in the stones from Fortaleza and Marambaia. One beautiful aquamarine color was named after the Brazilian beauty queen of 1954, and has the name 'Martha Rocha'.

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Vol 26 (No 151) 2011

It can be seen from the names of aquamarine colors just how important Brazil is among the countries where aquamarine is found. Most of the raw crystals for the world market come from the gemstone mines of that large South American country. Every now and then, large aquamarine crystals of immaculate transparency are also found with a magnificent colour, a combination which is very unusual in gemstones. And very occasionally, sensationally large aquamarine crystals come to light in Brazil, such as the crystal of 110.5 Kg found in 1910 in Marambaia/Minas Gerais, or for example the 'Dom Pedro', weighing 26 Kg and cut in Idar-Oberstein in 1992 by the gemstone designer Bernd Munsteiner, the largest aquamarine ever to have been cut. However, aquamarines are also found in other countries, for example Nigeria, Zambia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Favourite stone of modern designers

There is hardly any other gemstone in modern jewellery design which is refined in such a variety of ways as aquamarine. Whether it is fashioned as a clear, transparent gem in the classical step cut, or creatively cut in a more modern design, it is always fascinatingly beautiful. Uncut too, or with many inclusions which can be brought into play by the designer in the way in which the stone is cut, it can be refined to produce the most beautiful creations. Designers call it their favourite gemstone. Again and again they take the world by surprise with a new, modern artistic cut, and when they are breaking new ground, aquamarine is a gem that they particularly like to work with. Without doubt, these creative designer cuts have contributed to the great popularity of this gem. The lucid colour of aquamarine makes it easy to see inclusions. For this reason, aquamarine should always be of the greatest possible transparency. On the other hand, particularly charming effects can sometimes be achieved in the way the gemstone is cut by bringing the inclusions into play. The light colour of aquamarine leaves the gemstone designer free to bring out the brilliance of the gem with fine grooves, notches, curves and edges. In this way, each aquamarine becomes a unique specimen, whose magical attraction no woman can resist.

Topaz

It is a fluorine aluminium silicate and comes in yellow, yellow-brown, honey-yellow, flax, brown, green, blue, light blue, red and pink ... and sometimes it has no colour at all. The topaz. The topaz has been known for at least 2000 years and is one of the gemstones which form the foundations of the twelve gates to the Holy City of the New Jerusalem. These so-called apocalyptic stones are intended to serve in protection against enemies and as a symbol of beauty and splendour. It cannot be proved conclusively whether the name of the topaz comes from the Sanskrit or the Greek, though the Greek name 'topazos' means 'green gemstone'. The Romans dedicated the topaz to Jupiter. The colour in which the topaz is most commonly found is yellow, and that is the colour in which it occurs in one of the major German gemstone rocks, the Schneckenstein (a topaz-bearing rock said to resemble a snail) in Saxony. In the 18th century, it was mined there during a period of over 60 years. However, most of the crystals were hardly a centimetre in diameter. You had to go to Siberia or Brazil to find crystals as large as your fist. Having said that, anyone who is interested can convince himself of the beauty of cut specimens in the topaz set in Dresden's Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault). The enormous and magnificent topaz from the Portuguese crown, the Braganza, was for a long time thought to be a diamond. It weighs 1680 ct.

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In mysticism, the topaz is attributed with a cooling, styptic and appetising effect. It is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears, to warn its wearer of poisons and protect him or her from sudden death. It is reputed to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile and happy. However, it is probably better not to rely too much on its magical powers, since it was also claimed that you could immerse your hand in boiling water after a topaz had been thrown into it and retract it again unharmed! It is the stone of the month November. In the Empire style, the topaz was still widespread, but then the more reasonably priced citrine took over from it and even usurped its name - gold topaz. Since then, the topaz has been a rather exotic figure in the jewellery trade, and has been given the additional predicate 'pure' to make it clear that the topaz, not the quartz topaz, is meant. And it is still waiting for its well deserved comeback to this day.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline Tourmalines are gems with an incomparable variety of colours. The reason, according to an old Egyptian legend, is that the tourmaline, on its long journey up from the centre of the Earth, passed over a rainbow. In doing so, it assumed all the colours of the rainbow. And that is why it is still referred to as the 'gemstone of the rainbow' today.

The name tourmaline comes from the Singhalese words 'tura mali'. In translation, this means something like 'stone with mixed colours', referring to the colour spectrum of this gemstone, which outdoes that of all other precious stones. There are tourmalines from red to green and from blue to yellow. They often have two or more colours. There are tourmalines which change their colour when the light changes from daylight to artificial light, and some show the light effect of a cat's eye. No two tourmalines are exactly alike. This gemstone has an endless number of faces, and for that reason it suits all moods. No wonder that magical powers have been attributed to it since ancient times. In particular, it is the gemstone of love and of friendship, and is said to render them firm and long-lasting.

Colou...