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Generalgemstone help

30th Jun 2012 03:25 UTCAnonymous User

Hello guys

i was wondering if i could get some help

ok, so heres my problem

last week i went to a rock and mineral show and bought this. It was marked off as blue tourmaline from pakistan, but im quite suspicious about it, personally i believe it is an aquamarine...what are your thoughts about it

any help would be appreciated

thankyou

30th Jun 2012 05:19 UTCWayne Corwin

It does look like aquamarine, but could you do a couple photo's of the ends to show the shape please?

30th Jun 2012 07:23 UTCWOLFGANG NOACK

looks like a section of aquamarine crystal markings and inclusions are clearly visible so i would say definitely aquamarine

wolf

30th Jun 2012 16:43 UTCDonald Peck

I think it is tourmaline. Look at the ends of the crystal in the first photo. They apparently have a triangular cross section.

30th Jun 2012 17:11 UTCOwen Lewis

From the pics above, it could be one of several things and requires testing with standard tools to sort out which. Crystal form alone won't settle it even were if hexagonal in cross section (I'll guess it's not). Blue Tourmaline is not likely runner in any event.

30th Jun 2012 21:09 UTCJosé Zendrera 🌟 Manager

I also think it is tourmaline. Pakistani aquamarine usually have well defined prism faces, even ones medium / low quality.

But I think the origin could be wrong, to me, it looks as Paprok or Lagham (Afghanistan) "paraiba" tourmaline.

30th Jun 2012 21:42 UTCStephanie Martin

Another vote for tourmaline, based on the minimal info provided. I agree with Donald's and Hose's observations. A photo of the end as Wayne suggested showing the cross section would be helpful.

regards,

stephanie :))

1st Jul 2012 05:18 UTCAnonymous User

these are the 2 end bits of the crystal

thank you guys so much for all your help

1st Jul 2012 15:28 UTCWayne Corwin

Adrian

The end views definitaly shows it's beryl ;-)

Wayne

1st Jul 2012 17:07 UTCDonald Peck

I agree, the end-on views definitely support its being beryl.

1st Jul 2012 17:55 UTCStephanie Martin

Thank you for the new photos, and yes, this shows to be beryl - aquamarine.

regards,

stephanie :-)

1st Jul 2012 23:52 UTCOwen Lewis

Are we sure? It's an elongated hexagonal prism and there's some blue colouration. Aquamarine might be likely but, given the indistinct terminations and without testing there are other possibilities. Apatite? Check those ends again... indistinct cleavage? Even Tourmaline can show a hexagonal cross-section sometimes and an indistinct A/B axis cleavage. Testing of hardness, transmitted light spectrum and SG might support a definite opinion. Just my bit of 'quantitative easing'....

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