Spring 1993 Gems & Gemology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL 1 The Gems d Gemology Most Valuable Article Award Alice S. Keller 3 Letters FEATURE ARTICLES 4 Queensland Boulder Opal Richard W. Wise 16 Update on Diffusion-Treated Corundum: Red and Other Colors Shane F. McClnre, Robert C. Kammerling, and Emmanuel Fritsch p. 11 NOTES AND NEW TECHNIQUES 30 A New Gem Beryl Locality: Luumaki, Finland Seppo I. Lahti and Kari ~..l<innunen 38 De Beers Near Colorless-to-BlueExperimental 1 Gem-Quality Synthetic Diamonds Marie-Line T. Rooney, C. M. Welbozzrn, [ames E. Shigley, Emmanuel Fritsch, and Ilene Heinitz REGULAR FEATURES 46 Gem Trade Lab Notes I 52 GemNews 65 Gems d Gemology Challenge 67 Book Reviews 69 Gemological Abstracts 1 77 Suggestions for Authors ABOUT THE COVER: Australia is the world leader in opal production. Some of the most attractive Australian opals are those typically formed in ironstone boulders in the state of Queensland. The article by Richard Wise in this issue provides on overview of Queensland boulder opal, with specif- ic information from an active operation, the Cragg mine. The oplrls illus- trated here-shown on a classic opal-bearing Queensland boulder-all have some of the ironstone matrix as a backing. The large gem opal is 47.05 x 37.65 x 8.36 mm thick; the smallest piece is 13.44 x 8.55 x 2.00 mm thick. All are from the collection of George Brooks, Santa Barbara, CA. Photo 8 Harold d Erica Van Pelt-Photographers, Los Angeles, CA. Typesetting for Gems d Gemology is by Graphix Express, Santa Monica, CA. Color separations are by Effective Graphics, Compton, CA. Printing is by Waverly Press, Easton, MD. 8 1993 Gemological Institute of America All rights reserved ISSN 0016-626X EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Editor Editor, Gem Trade Lab Notes STAFF Richard T. Liddicoat Alice S. I<eller C. W. Fryer Associate Editors I660 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 Editor, Genlological Abstracts William E. Boyajian 1M. D. Vincent Manson Telephone: (800)421 -7250 x25 1 Dona Dirlam John Sinkankas Subscriptions Editors, Book Reviews Technical Editor Gail Young Elise B. 1Misiorowslzi Carol M. Stockton Jin Lim Susan B. Johnson Assistant Editor Telephone: (800)421 -7250 x20 1 FAX: (310) 453-4478 Editors, Gem News Irv Dierdorff John 1. ICoivula Editorial Assistant Contributing Editor Robert C. I<ammerling Dcnise Hcyl John I. Koivula Emmanuel Fritsch PRODUCTION Art Director Prod~~ctiorrArtist Word Processor STAFF Lisa Jolzo Carol Silver Ruth Patchick EDITORIAL Robert Crowningshield C. S. Hurlbut, Jr. Kurt Nassau REVIEW BOARD New Yorlz, NY Cambridge, MA l? 0. Lebanon, NI Alan T Collins Robert C. Kammerling Ray Page London, United Kingdom Santa Monica, CA Sanla 1\4onica, CA Dennis Foltz Anthony li. Kampf George Rossn~an Santa Monica, CA Los Angeles, CA Pasadena, CA Emmanuel Fritsch Robert E. Kane Kenneth Scarratt Santa Monica, CA Lalze Tahoe, NV New Yorlz, NY C. W Fryer John I. Koivula Karl Schmetzer Santa Monica, CA Santa ~Monica,CA Petershausan, Gannony Henry Hami Henry 0. A. ~Meyer James E. Shiglcy Ziirich, Switzerland West Lolayette, IN Sonla Monica, CA SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions in the U.S.A. are priced as follows: $54.95 for one year (4 issues), $134.95 for three years (12 issues). Subscriptions sent elsewhere are $65.00 for one year, S 165.00 for three years. Special annual subscription rates are available for all students actively involved in a CIA prograln: $44.95 U.S.A., $55.00 elsewhere. Your student number must be listed at the time your subscription is entered. Single issues may bc purchased for $14.00 in thc U.S.A., $17.00 elsewherc. Discounts are given for bulk orders of 10 or more of any one issue. A linlited number of back issues of G&G arc also available for purchase. Please address all inquiries regarding subscriptions and the purchase of single copies or back issues to the Sub- scriptions Department. To obtain a Japanese translation of Gems & Gen~ology,contact the Association of Japan Gem Tn~st,Oltachimachi Cy Blclg., 5-15-14 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110, Japan. Our Canadian goods and selvlce registration number is R126142892. MANUSCRIPT Gems d Cernology welcomes the submission of articles on all aspects of the field. I'lease see the Suggestions for Au- SUBMISSIONS thors in this Issue of the journal, or contact thc editor for 3 copy, Lettcrs on articles published in Gems ed Gernology and other relevant matters are also welcome. COPYRIGHT Abstracting is permitted with credit to the source. Libraries are permitted to photocopy beyond the limits of U.S. AND REPRINT copyright law for private use of patrons, Instructors are permitted to photocopy isolated articles for noncom~llercial PERMISSIONS classroom use without fee. Copying of the photographs by any nleans other than traditional photocopying techniques (Xerox, etc.) is prohibited without the express permission of the photographer (where listed) or author of the article in which the photo appears [where no photographer is listed). For other copyi~ig,reprint, or republication pcrm~ssion, please contact the editor. Cerns d Cernolog~lis published quarterly by the Gen~ologicallnstitutc of America, a nonprofit educat~onal organization for the jewelry industry, 1660 Stewart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Postn~aster:Return undeliverable copies of Gcms e.1 Gemology to 1660 Stewart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Any opinions expressed in signed articles are understood to be the viclvs of the authors and not of the publishers THEGEMS & GEMOLOGY MOSTVALUABLE ARTICLE AWARD Alice S. Kellel; Editor Itis with great pleasure that I announce the results of this year's "Most Valuable Article" contest. ort the first time, all three winning articles were in the same general category: gem sources. The first-place award goes to the excellent review by Alfred A. Levinson, John J. Gurney, and Melissa B. Kirlzley, "Diamond Sources and Production: Past, Present, and Future." Second place goes to the comprehensive "Gem Wealth of Tanzania," by Dona M. Dirlam, Elise B. Misiorowslzi, Rosemary Tozer, Karen B. Stark, and Allen M. Bassett. The first contemporary report from the legendary ruby mines of Burma (now Myanmar) won third place: "Status of Ruby and Sapphire Mining in the Mogok Stone Tract," by Robert E. Kane and Robert C. Kammerling. The authors of these three articles will share cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $300, respective- ly. Photographs and brief biographies of the winning authors appear below. Congratulations also to John D. Edwards of Boulder, Colorado, whose ballot was randomly chosen to win the three-year subscription to Gems c9 Gemology. FlRST PLACE Dr. Alfred A. Levinson Alfred A.'+V~SOII- John J. Gurney Melissa B. Kirkley Alfred A. Levinsoil is a professor in the Department of Geology abd Geophysics at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. A former editor of Geochimica et Coslnochimica Acta, Dr. Levinson has also written and edited a number of books on geochemistry. John J. Gurney, who holds a personal chair in geochemistry at the University of Cape Town (UCT),South Africa, from which he also Dr. Melissa B. Kirliley received his Ph.D., has published widely in his main and Dr. lohn J. Gurney research fields of diamonds and upper mantle petrolo- gy. A post-doctoral research officer in the Geochein- istry Department of UCT, Melissa B. Kirkley is cur- rently investigating stable isotope and rare-earth-ele- ment geochemistry of mantle roclzs and minerals. She has B.S. and M.S. degrees in geology from Colorado State University and a Ph.D. from UCT. SECOND PLACE Dona M. Dirlam .Elise B. Misiomwski .Rosemary Tozer Karen B. Stark - Allen M. Bassett Dona M. Dirlam is senior librarian and manager, Elise B. Misiorowski and Rosemary Tozer are research librarians, and Karen B. Stark is slide librarian, at the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Editorial GEMS & GEMOLOGY Spring 1993 Information Center, GIA, Santa Monica. A native of Allen M. Bassett Minnesota, Ms. Dirlam has a B.S. from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and an M.S. in geology and geophysics from the University of Wisconsin, From left - Rosemary Tozer, Madison. She is editor of the Gemological Abstracts Dona M. Dirlan~, section of Gems el Gemology and has coauthored sev- Elise B. Misiorowski, eral articles for the journal. She is also on the board of Karen B. Stark directors of the Gem and Mineral Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Also a prolific author and formerly a diamond grader in the West Coast GIA Gem Trade Laboratory, Ms. Misiorowski is coeditor of the Book Reviews section of Gems d Gemology. Ms. Tozer, who has over eight years of library experience, is currently cataloging the Sinkanlzas Rare Book Collection. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Library Media from Chadron State College, Nebraska. Ms. Stark attended college in Texas and worlzed in a jewelry store in Ithaca, New York, prior to coming to GIA. With Ms. Misiorowski and Ms. Tozer, she is a member of the Gelnological Abstracts Review Board. Allen M. Bassett is chief gemologist/geologist for Tan-Minerals Mining Co. in Tanzania. A native of New Yorlz, he obtained his B.S. from Amherst College and his M.S. and Ph.D. in econoinic geology from Columbia University. He has worlzed for the U.S. Geological Survey and taught at universities in Ohio and California. Dr. Bassett spent 19 years in Nepal establishing a gem industry and developing ruby mines, before turning to ruby mining in Tanzania in 1989. He has authored over 50 articles and books. THlRD PLACE Robert E. Kane -Robert C.