VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Gemmology, geology and origin of the Sandawana emerald deposits, Zimbabwe ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnifi cus prof.dr. T. Sminia, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de faculteit der Aard- en Levenswetenschappen op donderdag 26 januari 2006 om 13.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Johannes Cornelis Zwaan geboren te Leiden promotor: prof.dr. J.L.R. Touret copromotor: prof.dr. L.M. Kriegsman Gemmology, geology and origin of the Sandawana emerald deposits, Zimbabwe J.C. Zwaan Zwaan, J.C. Gemmology, geology and origin of the Sandawana emerald deposits, Zimbabwe. Scripta Geologica, 131: 1-211, 82 fi gs., 25 tables, 3 appendices, January 2006. J.C. Zwaan, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Naturalis, P.O. Box 9517, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands (
[email protected]). Key words – Emerald, Sandawana, Zimbabwe, gemmology, petrology, geothermometry, geochronology. Abstract As one of the most valuable gemstones, emeralds are known to occur in several countries of the world, such as Colombia, Zambia, Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Rus- sia, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. The emerald deposits at Sandawana, Zimbabwe, are described, the emeralds from this deposit characterised and a model of emerald forma- tion presented; this is compared with existing models. The emeralds from Sandawana, Zimbabwe, show relatively constant physical properties, with high refractive indices and specifi c gravities. They are characterized by laths and fi bres of amphibole, both actinolite and cummingtonite. Other common inclu- sions are albite and apatite.