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Rockhounding for Quartz and Minerals in Arkansas

Posted on March 8, 2016June 13, 2016 by admin

Rockhounding for Quartz and Minerals in Arkansas

by Mark

Arkansas is the best place for quartz crystal rockhounders. Arkansas rockhounding sites also have other rare and important minerals and gemstones for rockhounding. Some to mention in this direction are diamonds, wavellite, fossils, dolomite and exotic minerals. Arkansas rockhounding sites have abundant sources of minerals and gemstones that are sure to keep rockhounders and mineralogists busy in their activity of hunting and collecting. Quartz being a vital mineral on earth is found in abundance in the Arkansas region. The second abundant mineral found in the Arkansas region is wavellite.

Sources for References while Rockhounding for Quartz and Minerals in Arkansas:

Rockhounders, before they begin rockhounding for quartz and minerals in Arkansas must refer to various resources to get more detailed information. Some of the vital resources to name are-

* Books and Guides: There are various books and guides written by experienced rockhounders which detail their experiences during rockhounding for quartz and minerals in Arkansas. One instance to name in this direction is the guide called ‘Collecting Crystals, the Guide to Quartz in Arkansas’

* Internet Resources: Rockhounders can refer to internet sources which will give abundant knowledge on carrying out quartz and mineral rockhounding in Arkansas.

* Clubs and Groups: There are numerous rockhounding groups and clubs around Arkansas area which rockhounders can join and benefit from the same.

* Archeological State Parks: Rockhounders can visit archeological state parks like Hampson Museum State Park, Parkin Archeological State Park, Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, Oil And Brine Museum, Hot Springs National Park, Bauxite Museum, Mid-America Museum, Arkansas Geological Commission, Discovery Museum and Hot Spring County Museum. All these help rockhounders gain knowledge on minerals in Arkansas.

Important Sites for Quartz and Minerals Rockhounding at Arkansas:

There are numerous sites for rockhounders to carry out quartz and minerals rockhounding in Arkansas. Some of the vital locations to mention are:

* Jeffrey Quarry: Jeffrey Quarry is located at North Little Rock in Arkansas which is the best place and most visited place by rockhounders for quartz rockhounding. In addition to quartz, rockhounders can also collect thousands of small clusters and highly lustrous groups of transparent colorless crystals.

* Rush Creek Mining District: Rush Creek Mining District is located in Marion county in Arkansas and is the best place marked for mineral rockhounding. Some of the vital minerals rockhounders can rockhound in this region are smithsonite in wide range of colors namely yellow, golden, brown, reddish brown, gray,
and green, calcite, dolomite rhombs on druzy quartz and sphalerite coated with oriented growths of chalcopyrite crystals.

* Magnet Cove: Magnet Cove in Arkansas has a variety of unusual minerals and thus is marked as a popular site for mineral rockhounders. There are also numerous magazines published that give special details about rocks and minerals present in this area. These could be referred by rockhounders for carrying out rockhounding in this area efficiently.

* Crater of Diamonds State Park: Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is open for rockhounders on all days and is marked as one of the best place in world for diamond rockhounding. There are also few other minerals that are usually present with diamonds like pink garnet and opaque black shiny grains which rockhounders can find in abundance at this site. Rockhounders can refer to the free pamphlet released by Arkansas Geological Commission and articles written by mineralogist record breaker Dr. Al Kidwell. All these references would help new rockhounders to rockhound easily in this region. There is also a park museum which has a series of educational displays and a slide presentation that guides well for any new rockhounders of this region.

* Rockhounding for diamond at this site in Arkansas can be carried out by rockhounders based on their availability of time. For instance, if rockhounders have only little time to rockhound at this region they can carry out the process of surface searching or surface screening. Also, an important tip while rockhounding for diamonds in this region is to visit it immediately after a rain, as diamond has the attribute of being exposed in the soil immediately after a rain.

* Some other important quartz and mineral rockhounding sites in Arkansas are Fiddler’s Ridge, Leatherhead. The leatherhead site is normally taken as a group trip for rockhounders by the Northwest Arkansas Gem and Mineral Club.

* Ouachita National Forest land: Ouachita National Forest land in Arkansas is abundant in wavellite. Rockhounders can carry samples from this site in hand for personal use but are not allowed to take samples for commercial purpose.

* Montgomery Co. Quarry: Montgomery Co. Quarry in Arkansas is located to the northwest of Mount Ida about 2.5 miles, and is abundant in wavellite. This site is also termed as Mauldin Mountain. Wavellite in interesting colors and specials shades like bright green, apple green, and pale green are available at this site.

* Cob and Eden Falls: Cob and Eden Falls is located in Devil’s Den State Park at Lost Valley State Park Arkansas near Ponca, Newton County. This site has two free caves and rockhounders must carry their own snacks and water while rockhounding to this site. This free site has no guides for reference and so rockhounders must make sure to know the regulations and rules before visiting the site.

Rules to keep in mind

It is very important that rockhounders take care to be aware of the rules and regulations before rockhounding for quartz or minerals in Arkansans. This is vital because each rockhounding site has its own rules and regulations. For instance, at Crater of Diamonds State Park, rockhounders are allowed to carry their own equipment for rockhounding but they must ensure to carry it back that night and wheeled equipments are not allowed inside the site.

Arkansans is the best site for rockhounders to rockhound quartz and even real diamonds with perfect rocks on each. Rockhounders must carry vital tools like safety glasses for eye protection, a nice pair of gloves to protect their hands, camping lenses equipped with compasses, display cases or storage cases, cushions, sunscreen, food and drink, bug spray and so on. Advanced rockhounders must make sure to carry variety of hammers which could be used for splitting and crushing the rock.

Sapphire Engagement Ring Buying Guide

Posted on March 8, 2016June 16, 2016 by admin

Sapphire Engagement Ring Buying Guide

by Madhubanti Rudra

The birthstone of September, sapphire, in ancient days were believed to lend colour to the sky. The ethereal beauty of sapphire thus symbolizes heaven and is regarded as the bestower of truth and good health. A part of corundum family, sapphire is second in hardness only to diamonds thus commanding a respectable market price.

Love, trust, honesty are the essence of an engagement ceremony. Through the exchange of rings, the young couple takes the tacit vows of commitment. The engagement ring then becomes the culmination of their love, harmony and trust on each other. The soft blue in sapphires also evoke exactly the same emotions that are timeless and something very soothing. And that is the reason why a large number of women today venture upon a sapphire engagement ring.The birthstone of September, sapphire, in ancient days were believed to lend colour to the sky. The ethereal beauty of sapphire thus symbolizes heaven and is regarded as the bestower of truth and good health. A part of corundum family, sapphire is second in hardness only to diamonds thus commanding a respectable market price. Before settling on a sapphire engagement ring one must know the ABCs of sapphire. First, the most prized colour in sapphire is cornflower blue, known as Kashmir sapphire or cornflower blue sapphire. The Burma sapphires are also found in pure spectral blue.

The Ceylon sapphire comes with a very soothing blue in pastel shades. However, sapphires are also found in a range of other colours including violet green, yellow, orange and purple. In the circles of gem trade, the non-blue sapphire is termed as fancy.
Interestingly, a rare orange pink variety of sapphire known as padparadsha or lotus flower is more expensive than blue sapphire. There is a rare variety of sapphire that changes colour in different lights. In natural light it displays blue colour, in artificial light it becomes violet. This should be noted that the prominent international gemological institutions divides the colour of gems into three components hue, tone (lightness or darkness of the stone), and saturations that refers to the degree to which the hue is hidden by under tones of other shades. The evaluation of a stone depends of the cumulative effect of these three factors hue, tone and saturation. Naturally pure vivid coloured sapphire are far more expensive than the dull ones. It should be noted that uniformity of colour is an important factor in a sapphire’s value. Secondly, perfectly transparent sapphires are rare. Like any other gem, sapphire contains inclusions.

Dark sapphire show less inclusion, and light sapphire show more. It is the moderately included sapphires that are in high demands in the jewellery industry. Next important thing is the cutting and faceting of the gem that is responsible for the depth of the colour in the gem. A not-so-well-cut sapphire may appear darker. However, cutting the sapphire requires high degree of craftsmanship. Because not only sapphires are very hard, they also display different range of satiation. Therefore, faceting and orientation should be aligned in a way that brings out the best possible display of colour. Heat treatment is very common for stimulating colours in sapphires. Colourless and pale blue sapphires are often heat treated to produce intensity of colour. Heat treatment also improves the clarity of some gem by removing the small inclusions from them.

As a matter of fact, untreated sapphires are very rare and command a collector’s fortune. There are many varieties of synthetic sapphires that make rounds in the market. There are varieties of cheaper gem stones like Iolite, Indicolite Tourmaline, or blue Zircon, whose colour composition can easily confuse the buyers. It is the great hardness of sapphire that distinguishes it from these gem stones, which are much softer than the true sapphire. Lastly the value of a sapphire depends on the size, colour and transparency. The origin of the gem stone also plays a determining role in this regard. The most expensive sapphire are real Kashmir stones, followed by the Burma and Ceylon sapphires respectively. Like any other gem stone at the time of buying sapphire, one must seek a certificate from a registered gemologist documenting the size, colour and the date of the purchase. While buying an engagement ring one should also concentrate on the metal, apart from the stone.

If gold is your choice then always go for 18K gold, and the gold should be hallmarked. For a sapphire, white gold is just perfect, as the blue and white complement each other perfectly. For a male engagement ring platinum and sapphire combination will definitely produce an out of the world look, which your fiancÃ© will cherish for his whole life. For sapphire engagement ring, the design as a whole should be such, that not the metal, but the stone looks prominent. Ruby and sapphire, two sister gems of corundum family have always fascinated the gem lovers across the globe with the gift of their colour. While Ruby with its fierce red ignites passion and inspires awe among us, sapphire produces just the opposite impact. The pacifying effect of blue invites calm and composer of self. At the same time it is magnificent and royal.

Queen Victoria was presented one of the world’s most precious sapphires by Prince Albert as a wedding gift. All weddings, be it a Royal wedding or a wedding of a commoner, are like fairy tales and everybody seeks to make it special and exceptional. So rise above the average, stay ahead and settle on nothing other than sapphire engagement ring, whose magic spell will always fill your married life with ever lasting joys of love and trust.

Rockhounding in Ouachita National Forest

Posted on March 8, 2016June 13, 2016 by admin

Rockhounding in Ouachita National Forest

by Ritika

Rockhounder can carry out the process of rockhounding in Ouachita National Forest either as a hobby or recreational activity. Ouachita National Forest is located in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains through the west central portion of Arkansas and the southeastern portion of Oklahoma. The Ouachita National Forest is the south’s oldest national forest, compromising more than 1.6 million acres. Rockhounding sites at Ouachita National Forest have abundant rock and quartz veins. Ouachita National Forest has many excellent mineral collecting rockhounding sites both inside the forest lands as well as in private land areas adjacent to the forest areas. Ouachita National Forest is one of the best sites for recreational rockhounders interested in quartz rockhounding.

Rules and Regulations

One of the important rules and regulations which rockhounders must follow while rockhounding in Ouachita National Forest is that they are allowed to carry only samples occasionally and that too only in small quantities in their hand. Also, the taken samples should be used only for personal purpose and should not be used for commercial ends. Only persons who have got appropriate permission from authorities and that too for digging in lands already under mineral contract are allowed larger amount of digging. All these rules and regulations are set by authorities of Ouachita National Forest which helps in preserving the natural environment and makes it the best site for all rockhounders.

It is vital that rockhounders who wish to do either a rockhounding trip alone for recreational purposes or as a group trip and would like to collect samples of rocks must give a written proposal to the district ranger. Only after the approval from district ranger, can rockhounders carry out the process of rock collecting.

About Rockhounding Sites at Ouachita National Forest

Rockhounding for quartz crystal started at Ouachita National Forest even when Native Americans occupied the Ouachita Mountains. In recent days there has been tremendous increase in rockhounding and mining activities for quartz crystal on the Ouachita National Forest. There is no demarcation made by the government regarding rockhounding activities conducted primarily for recreational and commercial purposes. However, the rockhounding sites or mines differ in this aspect. That is, commercial crystal mines present inside Ouachita National Forest make a daily fee charge on rockhounders for digging and removal of quartz from these sites. These rockhounding sites would prove best worth for serious rockhounders and an interesting point related to this is that there are new sites coming up in this region which help rockhounders hunt and collect excellent quality quartz pieces. The Fisher Mountain mine was the only underground quartz mine in the Ouachita Mountains. Rockhounders can refer to the book titled as Quartz Crystal Deposits of Western Arkansas written by A.E.J. Engle which details quartz rockhounding and mining throughout the Ouachita region.

In addition to the above, some of the important regulations which each rockhounder must follow while rockhounding in the Ouachita National Forest are:

Allowed Quantity for Rockhounding:

Only small quantities of sample crystals, that is less than 25 pounds are allowed for each rockhounder at all rockhounding sites of Ouachita National Forest. In addition, rockhounders are allowed to collect this small sample only in their hand.

Allowed Tools for Rockhounding:

Tools are generally not allowed while rockhounding at Ouachita National Forest. If a rockhounder needs tools essentially then the only allowed tools while rockhounding at Ouachita National Forest is a small screwdriver sized hand prying tool.

No Digging Allowed:

Rockhounders are not allowed to carry out the process of digging at rockhounding sites of Ouachita National Forest unless they have approved written permission given by contract holder of that relevant site chosen for rockhounding.

No Commercial Purpose Rockhounding Allowed:

Rockhounders are allowed to carry out rockhounding only for recreational or personal use and not for commercial use.

Important Quartz crystal collecting areas at Ouachita National Forest

The two vital quartz crystal collecting areas at Ouachita National Forest are

* Crystal Vista and
* Crystal Mountain

Both these above sites are developed by the authorities of the Ouachita National Forest. Both the sites are not active mine sites and so both do not collect any fee from rockhounders for collecting quartz from these sites.

Crystal Vista

Crystal Vista is located on the Womble Ranger District near Mount Ida at Arkansas. Rockhounders can contact Womble Ranger District for more information about this site.

Crystal Mountain

Crystal Mountain is located on the Jessieville-Winona Ranger District, midway between Jessieville and Perryville at Arkansas. Rockhounders can contact Jessieville-Winona Ranger District for more information about this site.

Minerals Sources at Ouachita National Forest:

It is vital to note that Ouachita National Forest is abundant with quartz. There are generally no gold producing locations or sites in Arkansas or Oklahoma. However, rockhounders can develop their gold panning skills by visiting specific gold producing sites in the country after knowing the rules and regulations of the same.

There are various minerals found in the rockhounding sites at Ouachita National Forest. Some of them to mention are:

* Asphaltite
* Barite
* Coal
* Common Variety Mineral Materials
* Copper
* Gas and Oil
* Gold
* Manganese
* Novaculite
* Slate
* Tripoli
* Turquoise
* Vanadium
* Wavellite

Thus, the Quartz crystal, the Arkansas State mineral, is abundant in a belt several miles wide, extending from Jessieville, AR to Broken Bow, OK. It is vital that rockhounders must take proper measures while carrying out their process of rockhounding at Ouachita National Forest. Some of the safety measures to mention are Ouachita National Forest has many abandoned underground mines which are gated for a specific reason. Thus these places result in dwelling of many creatures, including bats which require dark and isolated areas. So rockhounders must not enter abandoned mines that are not gated and must stay safe by staying out of abandoned mines. All these steps would helps rockhounders carry out their process of recreational rockhounding at the Ouachita National Forest.

Types of Sapphire

Posted on March 8, 2016June 16, 2016 by admin

Types of Sapphir

Types of Sapphire

by Ardamun Ramdeva

It is estimated that over 90-95% of the sapphires in the market today are heat-treated. Sapphires are also treated by Irradiation. Pale yellow sapphires are irradiated to change them to golden yellow. This process is not acceptable as it is not stable and colors, so produced, fade in light and heat.

Summary: It is estimated that over 90-95% of the sapphires in the market today are heat-treated. Sapphires are also treated by Irradiation. Pale yellow sapphires are irradiated to change them to golden yellow. This process is not acceptable as it is not stable and colors, so produced, fade in light and heat.

Sapphires – Gemstones of the Skies

Blue Sapphire Ring Sapphire belongs to the mineral family of Corundum. When you think of
Sapphire, you normally think of Blue Sapphire. Actually, natural sapphire
comes in a variety of colors, including red. We know red sapphire, more
commonly, as Ruby. Sapphires of all other colors are prefixed by their
colors, such as Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, etc. The other colors can be
pink, orange, yellow, golden, purple, green, and white. Another sapphire is
the exotic orange-pink known as the Padparadscha Sapphire. The major sources
for various colored sapphires are Burma (Myanmar), Madagascar, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Australia, East Africa, and the United States.

There is a theory that heating sapphires adds to its value by enhancing its
color and clarity. It is estimated that over 90-95% of the sapphires in the
market today are heat-treated. Sapphires are also treated by Irradiation.
Pale yellow sapphires are irradiated to change them to golden yellow. This
process is not acceptable as it is not stable and colors, so produced, fade
in light and heat.

Types of Sapphire

Sapphires are extremely hard and durable, with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs’
scale. It is the hardest gemstone except diamond, which has the hardness of
10. Corundum, to which family Sapphires belong, is a natural mineral –
Aluminum Oxide. It is the rare small traces of titanium, iron, chromium and
vanadium, which create the various colors in sapphires. The rarest of all
colors is the orange-pink of the Padparadscha Sapphire – a Sinhalese (from
Sri Lanka) word meaning ‘lotus flower’. The main property of Padparadscha
sapphire is that it should display the combination of both the colors,
orange and pink, and in such a way that it should be difficult to see where
one color ends and the other starts. Experts find it difficult to agree on
the exact ideal color of Padparadscha sapphire.

Padparadschas as a collector item, are hot and snapped up as soon as
they appear. Tone and place of origin are crucial factors in determining
what is true Padparadscha sapphire. Experts believe that the tone should be
light to medium hues of sapphires from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). It has been seen
that some sapphires from Tanzania and Madagascar have been sold as
Padparadschas, but they had too much of orange-brown to be classified as
Padparadscha. The price of the unheated Padparadscha from Sri Lanka ranges
from $4,000 to $10,000 per carat.

Blue Sapphires are the most well known of all sapphires. It is
usually just known as sapphire, without any color preface. The finest of
these come from Kashmir – in India, Mogok – in Burma, and Sri Lanka. Blue
sapphires are considered the perfect and exceptional sapphires. Sapphires
look fantastic under one light condition or the other, but blue sapphires
look magnificent in all light sources. One of the largest blue sapphires
known is the Logan sapphire, weighing a massive 423 carats. This flawless
gemstone, of Sri Lankan origin, has a rich blue color and is the second
largest blue sapphire known. Cornflower blue and deep blue are the two
popular choices of blue sapphires. The intensity of blue determines its
value. The most expensive blue sapphire ever sold was the 62.02-carat
Rockefeller sapphire at $48,871 per carat.

Pink Sapphire is the second most valuable sapphire. A pure vibrant
and vivid pink color makes these gemstones exceptional. It is difficult to
decide where it stops being pink sapphire and transits into ruby. The
American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) has a grading system that draws a
line between pink sapphire and ruby. At that particular point, if the stone
is redder, it is ruby; otherwise, it is graded as pink sapphire.

Yellow, Golden and Orange sapphires are relatively less known. To
enhance their color, these gemstones are subjected to numerous treatments.
Depending on the heat treatment of pale yellow sapphire, the result may be
intense yellow, yellow/golden, golden and deep orange-like yellow colors.
Natural pale yellow sapphires are heated between 1600 to 1900 degrees
centigrade to get better shades.

Purple Sapphires are often intense electric purple or plum color.
Some have a gray or brown tinge. Exceptional one-carat purple sapphires from
Africa and Burma range from $350 to $500 per carat. Larger purples can
exceed $1200 per carat.

Color Change Sapphires are beautiful, with deep color saturation.
Sapphire is one of the gemstones that can change from one color to another,
depending on light source. Because of its atomic structure, these sapphires
look blue in daylight and seem to go purple or violet under incandescent
lights. The color change sapphire with a more dramatic change, is more in
demand. The ideal sapphire with this quality has a 100% change with two
attractive colors. One should not be able to see two colors under a single
light source. More vivid the color change, more valuable is the sapphire.

Green Sapphires come from Australia and Thailand. Presence of
black/gray secondary colors reduces its value. Pure green sapphires are also
found in Africa and greenish blue sapphires come from Burma. Top quality
green sapphires are sold for about $250 per carat.

White Sapphires were sold at a very low price of $10 per carat, until
it was realized that the process of heating changed white sapphires to
vibrant orange sapphires. Diffusion process changes these white gems to blue
sapphires. With the increase in demand for these gems, the price of white
sapphires now ranges from $100 to $300 per carat.

Star Sapphire displays a sharp six-rayed star in its center, commonly
known as asterism. It appears in bright lighting and the quality depends on
the sharpness of star, symmetry of the rays, and the body color. The
American Museum of Natural History in New York City houses the largest cut
star sapphire, the 543-carat “Star of India”, and the “Midnight Star”, a
black star sapphire.

The single most important factor in determining the value of sapphire is its
color. Even the most expensive sapphires have inclusions and are not clear
like diamonds. Fine sapphires of good color and clarity are very rare.
Sapphires with medium and dark medium tones are considered the best and the
too dark and too light sapphires have considerably less worth. The most
valuable of the blue sapphires is actually violet-ish blue.

Geological and Other Trivia

Sapphire deposits in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, Antarctica, Kenya and
Tanzania are geologically related, as all were connected, billions of years
ago, in a super continent called Pangaea. Sapphires, as well as other
gemstones, from the same source were deposited throughout this super
continent as alluvial gravels. Sri Lanka is known to be closest to this
ancient geological source, as the largest sapphires, with better
crystallization, are found there. Sapphires in Madagascar and Tanzania are
smaller in size, due to the distance they had to travel.

Sri Lanka produces the largest and finest sapphires in the world and
sapphires of almost every color is found there.

Certain people believe in the healing and astrological properties of
sapphire. Sapphire is the birthstone of people born in September and a 5th
and 45th anniversary gift. It is believed that dark blue sapphire will
enhance one’s full creative potential. The inspiration of light blue
sapphire brings in new thoughts or ways of thinking. Green sapphire allows
one’s life to run smoothly and rightly. Orange sapphire does not allow you
to deceive yourself at any level and helps you learn true knowledge. White
sapphire is a personal stone and assists you in protecting yourself from
needless sufferings. Yellow sapphire connects you with all of your inner
knowledge.

High value diamond auctions of 2008

Posted on March 8, 2016June 16, 2016 by admin

High value diamond a

High value diamond auctions of 2008

by Mark

18 notable high value diamond auctions of 2008 by Sotheby auction house.

Some of the notable high value
diamond sold this year by Sotheby
auction house. The original buyers
of these exclusive pieces of diamond
jewelry is mostly unknown.

1. Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond
Pendant, sold for 1.83 Million USD, on Apr 2008 by Sotheby auction

2. 19TH CENTURY FANCY LIGHT
BROWN DIAMOND AND DIAMOND NECKLACE
sold for 1.34 Million USD, on Apr
2008 by Sotheby auction.

3. 19.86 Carat Diamond Ring
sold for 1.046 Million USD on Dec 09
– ’08, by
Sotheby auction.

4. 2 round diamonds weighing
10.05 and 10.03 carats, within
simple platinum mountings sold for
1.7 million USD on Apr 08, by
Sotheby.

5. The articulated necklace
composed of forty-three pear-shaped
diamonds together weighing 91.02
carats, mounted in platinum sold for
5.4 million USD on Apr 08 by
Sotheby

6. Claw-set with a pear-shaped
diamond weighing 20.09 carats sold
for 1.2 Million USD on May 08 by Sotheby auction.

7. Diamond weighing 34.07
carats sold for 5.7 million on Oct
’08.

8. Pink diamond weighing 4.45
carats, with yellow diamonds
approximately 2.50 carats sold for
2.01 million USD by Sotheby on Apr
2008

9. Oval diamond weighing 10.08
carats, flanked on each side by a
baguette diamond, mounted in
platinum sold for 1.671 Million USD
on Oct 7th 2008 by Sotheby auction.

10. Yellow diamond weighing
13.11 carats, flanked by two
pear-shaped diamonds together
weighing 1.47 carats sold for 1.595
Million USD on 10th April 2008 by Sotheby auction.

11. Diamond weighing 10.01
carats sold for 1.351 Million USD on
April 2008 by Sotheby auction

12. Pear-shaped diamond
weighing 8.88 carats, within a
support set with brilliant-cut
diamonds for 1.325 Million USD on
Oct 2008 by
Sotheby auction.

13. Oval shape deep blue
diamond weighing 2.01 carats, with
brilliant-cut diamonds extending to
the shank sold for 1.14 Million USD
on April 2008, by Sotheby auction

14. Vivid blue pear-shaped
diamond weighing 3.73 carats, set
between pear-shaped stone shoulders
sold for 4.95 Million USD on May
2008, details
here.

15. The emerald-cut diamond
weighing 24.42 carats sold for 3.6
Million USD by
Sotheby on Apr 2008.

16. Vivid purplish pink oval
diamond weighing 5.06 carats, within
a surround of pear-shaped stones,
mounted in platinum sold for 2.55
Million USD on May 2008.

17. The fancy pink pear-shaped
diamond weighing 8.02 carats flanked
by similarly-shaped stones sold for
1.321 Million USD by
Sotheby on Nov 2008.

18. Ring with intense yellow
cushion modified brilliant-cut
diamond weighing 40.74, on a plain
yellow gold mount sold for 1.04
Million USD on 15h May 2008. Details
here.

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Rockhounding Precautions

Posted on March 8, 2016June 13, 2016 by admin

Rockhounding Precautions

by Mark

Like any other hobby or sport, there are some precautions to be kept in mind and this holds true for rock hounding as well. It sounds like an easy enough hobby – wear a hat, take a hammer and start looking; but it is not that simple and you would be really foolish if you went rock hounding minus preparation and precautions.

Rockhounding is a term used to describe people who like to collect rocks and mineral samples directly from their natural environment as a hobby. There is enormous satisfaction in digging through miniature tracts of mountain land and sift through all the rocks and stones and mud to come up with something of value. People have found gemstones and beautiful specimens which have led them to pick up lapidary as a hobby along with rock hounding.

But as with any other hobby or sport, there are some precautions to be kept in mind and this holds true for rock hounding as well. It sounds like an easy enough hobby – wear a hat, take a hammer and start looking; but it is not that simple and you would be really foolish if you went rock hounding minus preparation and precautions.

Getting started

Well, the first thing you need is a hammer. No! Not your regular nail hammer, but a heavy duty rock hammer. This is slightly different in construction from a regular hammer as in it has a flat head on one end and a pick like point on the other. The pick end is to pry stuck bits and pieces of rock but don’t use it to break big rocks or it will go blunt, the flat head is what you use to hammer the rocks in to more manageable sizes.

Your collection will start with that first pretty rock you accidentally stumbled upon and from then on you’re on a roll. Find local clubs and groups that go rock hounding and join up with them for fun friends and information. Look up the internet, visit libraries, read all you can get on rock hounding. Learn all there is about petrology i.e. study of rocks and their formation, mineralogy and even geology. Learn about recognition and identification of rocks and minerals – there is really no point in being able to spout geological facts and figures if you cannot identify the rock you see.

Things to know

Once you decide on the area you are going to dig at, do some research about it, the climate, the wildlife and what you can expect. You don’t want to be caught on the wrong foot.

Read up on properties of minerals like its crystal shape, hardness factor, color etc and other rock related information, you never know when you may be holding what looks like just another ordinary rock but is actually a ruby.

It’s very important to know your colors because there are minerals like quartz which come in a variety of colors and you don’t want to throw away that purple colored rock thinking its just plain old rock now, do you?

Safety Precautions

There are some basic safety precautions that you need to keep in mind too. The first is to remember not to undercut any kind of embankment. There is danger of it collapsing and you may get hurt. Don’t carry any more than is really necessary or better still use a leverage bar. Remember to wear safety goggles while hammering rocks. There are little pieces flying everywhere and you don’t want your eyes to catch one of them. Gloves are very important. Your hands will not thank you for the cuts, bruises, blisters and calluses you pick up while rock hounding. Find some which fit well and give you a firm grip. Then find yourself a nice good hard hat. Rocks have this nasty habit of falling off when you least expect it.

Even if you are out for just a day carry loads of drinking water. You can never get enough of water and any going spare will help you clean up a bit once you’re done for the day. Bug sprays, anti insect creams – keep the whole lot with you. Out there it is the wild and there are sure to be insects you have never even heard of. Take the right precautions and you can come back rock hounding the next day. Another very important item is sunscreen. The sun out in the open is strong beating down relentlessly. Make sure you get the highest SPF factor suited to your skin type.

While you are digging around, keep a sharp eye for scorpions and spiders and other insects that hide in rocks and mud. An inadvertent bite could make you very sick or even prove fatal. This is particularly true if you are out digging in far-flung remote areas where medical aid is not easily accessed. Look out for yellow jackets and wasps. If you see a bee hive or hornet’s nest keep clear, but don’t throw rocks at it. You don’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest. Yellow jackets can be observed to see where they go so you can avoid that area. Imagine picking up a rock and finding a few thousand really angry yellow jackets in your face. Ouch!

Rattlesnakes love their rocks and nooks and crannies so if you hear rattlers, respect it and steer clear of its territory. You can always come back later if possible. They are night creatures so wearing proper laced up boots and jeans is a must and keep your tent zipped close. Catching a rattle snake is not a good idea, you will definitely get bitten.

Rattlesnakes can rise almost 4 to 5 feet up to hunt birds especially in tall growth of brush or sage bushes, so be very very alert. Yet another handy hint about the rattlers is that they swim, so watch out especially if you have a passenger on board your boat.

With all this information on insects and snakes and what-have-you, it’s easy to understand that a well stocked first-aid kit is very essential too. Especially important is to keep medication for allergies like bee stings, bug bites etc. read up about the plant growth so you can tell if there are potentially poisonous plants around especially if you want to squat. Get some first hand information on how to treat plant stings etc.

Important Ruby Mines

Posted on March 8, 2016June 13, 2016 by admin

Important Ruby Mines

by Ritika Changrani

For thousands of years the Ruby has been considered the one of the most precious of the twelve stones created by God. Ruby mines are found in USA, Sri Lanka, Burma, Vietnam, Thailand etc.

The bible aptly describes the value of a Ruby in the saying “more precious than rubies”. The ancient language of Sanskrit describes the Ruby as a “RatnaRaj” which translates as the King of precious stones. The word ruby comes from the Latin word “ruber”.

Today the ruby is valued far more than even the best in colorless diamonds. Ruby is a crystalline form of aluminum and it is one of the most durable of all minerals in existence. Of the mineral corundum, the ruby is the gem quality. Corundums are very hard and in its most common form it is used as an abrasive.

The value of a ruby is determined by its color. We all know that red is an indicator for top quality gems. These will not have any brown or blue overtones. The ruby is a very intensely colored substance and at its best, the red looks like glowing coal. In ancient times, these perpetual fires that never extinguished themselves were thought to have magical powers.

The value of a ruby is decided by three other factors viz. cut, size and clarity. Perfectly translucent rubies with no flaws visible to the naked eye are the most valuable. The cut of the ruby decides how lively and attractive the ruby looks. If light were reflected across the surface of the ruby evenly then that would indicate that it is a well cut stone. Large rubies are rare; hence the bigger your ruby, the more expensive it will be. Some rubies have a six point three ray star. These are star rubies and to display the effect they are cut in a smooth domed cabochon.

Ruby Mines

There are some important mines in the world where rubies are found. In the western tip of North Carolina, in Macon County sits Franklin. You can access this place from anywhere and you have to pass the gorgeous scenery of Blue Ridge, waterfalls, streams flowing over rocks, the works. The 1870’s saw the mining of the corundum in Macon County. The ruby belongs to the family of the corundum mineral which is a very hard mineral second only to the diamond. But this mining ended when synthetic corundum became a cheaper option.

The Sheffield Mines

The mines reopened when tourists showed an interest in looking for rubies themselves. This is how the Sheffield Mine became famous because every tourist went away with at least a small ruby or sapphire for their efforts. This mine sells native dirt and it is your luck if you do find a ruby or not. Unlike other mines, this mine does not enrich the dirt with purchased uncut gems. In the Sheffield mines has sapphires and rare star rubies and if you are lucky enough to find one you will see how a plain grey colored rock turns into a beautiful gemstone, untreated by humans and as natural as the dirt they come from. (Modified with input from William Kock, and on field experience.)

The Burma Mines

The Burma mines are yet another source of fine rubies. Myanmar or Burma has a history of ruby mines as old as time. The mining area of Mogok has revealed mining tools that belong to the bronze as well as the Stone Age. The rubies found here are described as pigeon blood due to their pure red color. There is another variety of ruby produced here which is more of a pink red rather than blood red and they are simply gorgeous. These rubies have a strong fluorescence and you will see layers of extra color when exposed to ultraviolet rays like sunlight. These rubies hold their color under any kind of light and therein lies their reputation.image courtesy: www.allmyanmar.com

The most recently discovered mining area in Burma is called Mong Hsu. This deposit is producing commercial quality of rubies in commercial quantities which includes a large amount of the fine Burma ruby and the sizes go up to a carat also. Trade and commerce in the little village in Tachilek has blossomed due to this ruby bonanza. The world’s most important ruby trading center is Thailand. Mae Sai is a place very close to Tachilek and it is now populated by traders and cutters who send most of the finds to Thailand.

The Vietnam Ruby Mines

1992 saw the discovery of a ruby mine in Vietnam. The quality of rubies produced here are similar to those of the Burma mines. Geologically speaking, the vein may be a continuation of the one in Burma.

Rubies found in other places

Fine rubies that are found in Thailand have a slightly darker red tone which moves more towards burgundy than pink. There are a variety of Thai rubies that have a black reflection which are known as extinction which makes the red look darker than what it is. These give the Burmese rubies a run for their money. On the other hand Sri Lankan rubies are pinker in hue or even in pastel shades. Gem Mining in Sri Lanka is mainly from the secondary alluvial deposits found in the river gravels. Mining pits are hand dug to access the gravel.

In the 1960’s the world got a surprise when rubies and sapphires were discovered in Kenya and Tanzania and this was more so because their colors could rival with the best in the world. But sadly, the rubies found here were flawed with tiny inclusions which reduced their transparency greatly. On the other hand, rubies from the African mines have a superb color but they are not transparent enough to give facets. When cut cabochon style, the color is displayed to its best.

On rare occasions, rubies from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Pamir mountains find their way into the markets but mining here is very difficult due to the unfriendly terrain.

Synthetic sapphires

Posted on March 8, 2016June 13, 2016 by admin

Synthetic sapphires

by Ardamun Ramdeva

Having identical chemical composition and physical properties of natural sapphires, synthetic sapphires, over the years, have achieved a high degree of perfection. The many different methods of producing synthetic sapphires are: melt growth, solution growth, or extremely high-temperature, high-pressure growth processes.

Synthetic Sapphires – Gemstones Par Excellence

Sapphire was first synthesized in 1902. Synthetic Ruby – the ‘red sapphire’, though, was produced in 1888 by the French chemist, Auguste Victor Louis Verneuil, through flame fusion process. A synthetic sapphire or the one created in a lab, under controlled conditions, has crystal structure, optical properties and chemical composition of its natural avatar. Some synthetic processes simulate the geological conditions required to produce natural sapphire. Both, Sapphire and Ruby, are varieties of corundum, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide. In nature, corundum comes in various shades of blue, as well as colorless, red, yellow, pink, orange, brown, purple, and green. Corundum of all colors is known as Sapphire, except the red sapphire, which is known as Ruby.

The word sapphire is known to originate from the Latin ‘sapphärus’, Middle English ‘saphir’, Old French ‘safir’, Greek ‘sappheiros’, and Hebrew ‘sappîr’.

Production of Synthetic Sapphires

Synthetic sapphires come in almost all colors, but the most sought after is the deep blue sapphire. Basically, to get different colors, dopants are added to aluminum oxide. Sapphires are synthesized by melting these at over 2000º Celsius. Having identical chemical composition and physical properties of natural sapphires, synthetic sapphires, over the years, have achieved a high degree of perfection. The many different methods of producing synthetic sapphires are: melt growth, solution growth, or extremely high-temperature, high-pressure growth processes.

The flame fusion process of Auguste Verneuil involves producing a boule from finely ground form of aluminum oxide, or Alumna, with the help of an inverted oxyhydrogen torch. Boule is a mass of alumna with the same physical and chemical properties of corundum. Oxygen passes through a chamber containing highly purified alumna, and this is carried to the central part of the oxyhydrogen flame. The fine alumna particles fuse and fall down as molten boule. Flame, rate of the feed of alumna, and the lowering of boule are controlled and adjusted to produce a boule of uniform size and shape. To produce colorless sapphire, the melting point of boule is 2030º Celsius. The furnace is shut down once the boule reaches the desired size of 150 or 200 carats, and is allowed to cool.

The Kyropoulos method of producing synthetic sapphires involves growing sapphire crystals under controlled conditions. During the process of crystallization, sapphire crystals sprout in cylindrical shapes. The required diameter of the crystal is maintained by the automatic displacement of the seed crystal, without rotation. The melt is achieved through resistive heating. The Kyropoulos method produces sapphire with minimal mechanical stress.

The Czochralski (pulling) process involves melting the powdered ingredients in a platinum, iridium, graphite, or ceramic crucible. A rotating rod, with a seed crystal attached to one end, is lowered to touch the melt. The rod is slowly withdrawn at the rate of 1 to 100 millimeters (mm) per hour. As the seed pulls the material from the melt, it cools and solidifies. Very high purity large crystals of more than 50 mm in diameter and 1 meter in length are grown by this method.

Some of the other processes for producing synthetic sapphires are: the floating zone process, the flux process, and the hydrothermal process.

Uses of Synthetic Sapphires

There are many uses of synthetic sapphires – as gemstone, as well as non-gemstone. Sharing the physical, chemical and optical qualities and properties of the natural sapphire, the synthetic sapphires are used extensively in jewelry. Some of the synthetic sapphires are so perfect that it becomes difficult to identify them, unless by an experienced jeweler or a gemologist. Padparadscha sapphires are rare orange-pink variety of sapphires and have a higher value than even the blue sapphires. These sapphires have been created in labs. They are so perfect that a few years ago, the synthetic Padparadscha sapphires were rated as natural till the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) found out they were not so.

Jewelry produced by synthetic sapphires is just as beautiful as the one by natural sapphires. Though not inexpensive, synthetic sapphire jewelry costs less than that of natural sapphire. Synthetic sapphires range in price and size, and the smaller sapphires are used in less expensive jewelry. As a matter of ethics, the origin of the sapphire should always be disclosed. Though synthetic sapphires can technically be called ‘genuine’, they are certainly not natural. One should learn about synthetic sapphires before buying jewelry, to know what one is buying.

Other applications of synthetic sapphires include their use in watch and semi-conductor industries. It was first used as watch crystals in the 1960s. It is used in most high-end watch brands. Synthetic sapphire crystals are grown in cylindrical ingots. These ingots of pure synthetic sapphires are sliced into wafers. These are polished into transparent crystal slices. High quality watches use these slices as watch faces. The exceptional hardness of the material makes the watch face impossible to scratch.

Wafers of single crystal synthetic sapphires are used in semi-conductor industry for light emitting diodes. For its extreme abrasive resistance, synthetic sapphire is the jewel of choice. Its other features include, zero porosity, extreme hardness, low-friction coefficient, chemical inertness – even to hydrofluoric acid, high thermal conductivity, and excellent wear resistance. Due to zero porosity, micro-finishes of two can be attained.

Precision jeweled bearing rollers use sapphire balls for their low-friction and long-wear applications. Some advantages of using synthetic sapphires as jeweled bearings are:

* Low friction, hardness and shock resistance
* Close tolerances
* Accurate wear life
* Non magnetic properties
* Resistance to heat, corrosion, and distortion

Due to their high melting point of 2000º Celsius, they are suitable for high-heat applications also. The other uses of synthetic sapphires include electronics, optoelectronics, optics, and laser technologies.

Identification of Synthetic Sapphires

* Presence of round, elliptical or flask shaped bubbles.
* Whitish sheen seen in natural sapphires is missing in synthetics
* Strain cracks, curved striae (fine thread-line lines or streaks), wispy white veils, etc
* Flux inclusions and non-natural gas inclusions
* Visible seed crystals in synthetic sapphires
* Color zones seen when dipped in Methylene Iodide.
* Absorption spectra not seen in synthetic sapphires.
* Unnatural looking colors.
* Dark un-fused blotches seen. Caused by coloring matter.
* Variation in properties of fluorescence.
* Transparency to Ultra Violet light varies.
* Star effect in synthetic sapphires seems to be painted.
* The synthetics have a neatly ground out base as against the lumpy base of natural sapphires.