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O
ver the past couple of years, a supply of attractive (Myanmar). More recent finds of spinel in places such as Namya
spinel exhibiting various colors has been entering the Zeik (northern Burma), Kenya, Tajikistan and Tanzania have led
international gemstone market from a relatively small to an increased supply of this highly desirable and sought after
mining region in Northern Vietnam. The majority of these gems gem material.
are being processed and marketed through Bangkok, Thailand, Spinel from the Luc Yen region of northern Vietnam began
and finding their way to the major American, European and making its way into the market as mineral specimens and
Asian centers. faceted gemstones during the late 1980s and the early 1990s.
This coincided with the discovery
of ruby deposits in Luc Yen and
Quy Chau (Kane et al, 1991). More
recently, Vietnam has re-emerged
and made an exciting re-entrance
into the world of fine gem spinel
with its latest production. The
main part of the most recent
production yields faceted stones
that range from below 1 carat to
1-5 carat sizes. More rarely, some
fine spinels have been produced
in sizes larger than 10 carats, and
even up to 20 carats in very fine
quality (M. Hatik pers. comm.
2008).
Color appearance
Gemological properties
In recent months, Vietnam has produced a significant quantity of fine quality spinels,
ranging in color from red to pink and violet to blue. Photograph by Fred Kahn and Sun Joo
Chung.
T he standard gemological
properties for a number of
Vietnamese spinels examined
by the authors are consistent with those reported in the Rossmann, 1988).
gemological literature for natural spinel. The stones tested All of the spinels in the violet-to-blue group showed
were all found to be singly refractive, with refractive index a combination of spectral bands related to cobalt (Co2+
readings ranging from 1.712 to 1.718. Their specific gravity in tetrahedral coordination) and iron (Fe2+ in tetrahedral
was determined hydrostatically to range from 3.54 to 3.71. coordination). The Co2+-related absorptions consisted of
The fluorescent reaction to both long-wave and short-wave a series of three superimposed broad bands positioned
UV radiation was strong red (LWUV) and weak to moderate at approximately 625, 585 and 550 nm. The Fe2+-related
red (SWUV) for the red group. The pink group exhibited a very absorptions consisted of a larger series of bands positioned
strong red (LWUV) and moderate to strong orangy red (SWUV) at approximately 555, 477, 455, 385 and 370 nm. In the violet
reaction, whereas the violet-to-blue stones were inert to both spinels, the relative ratio of these absorptions is Fe2+>Co2+,
LWUV and SWUV excitation. with decreasing Fe2+ absorption and increasing Co2+ occurring
When examined with a Chelsea filter over a strong transmitted as the color trended towards a more blue color. No chromium
light source, the “cobalt-blue” Vietnamese spinel exhibited a related absorptions were recorded in the violet-to-blue group
strong red reaction, while the violet-to-blue group exhibited a examined in this study.
weak red or pink reaction.
Absorption spectroscopy
Chemical composition
Conclusion
References
Fritsch E., Rossmann G.R. (1988) An update on color in gems.
Part 3: Colors caused by band gaps and physical phenomena.
Gemology, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 81-102.
Gems & Gemology
Kane R.E., McClure S.F., Kammerling R.C., Khoa N.D., Mora
C., Repetto S., Khai N.D., Koivula J.I. (1991) Rubies and fancy
sapphires from Vietnam. Gems & Gemology
Gemology, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp.
136-155.
Muhlmeister S., Koivula J.I., Kammerling R.C., Smith C.P.,
Fritsch E., Shigley J.E. (1993) Flux-grown synthetic red and blue
spinels from Russia. Gems & Gemology
Gemology, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 81-98.
Healed fractures composed of aligned octahedra of various Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the
sizes are commonly present. Photomicrograph Christopher P. following people for providing the samples tested during this
Smith, 58x. study: Sam Khafi, Mourad Hatik and Bear Williams.