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    Gemstones Colour Chemistry

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    Rigen Alam
    The document discusses the chemical composition and properties of various gemstones. It provides information on each gemstone's chemical formula, hardness rating, and what ions or imperfections cause their distinctive colors.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Gemstones Colour Chemistry

    Uploaded by

    Rigen Alam
    276 views1 page
    The document discusses the chemical composition and properties of various gemstones. It provides information on each gemstone's chemical formula, hardness rating, and what ions or imperfections cause their distinctive colors.

    Original Description:

    Gemstones-Colour-Chemistry

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    The document discusses the chemical composition and properties of various gemstones. It provides information on each gemstone's chemical formula, hardness rating, and what ions or imperfections cause their distinctive colors.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    276 views1 page

    Gemstones Colour Chemistry

    Uploaded by

    Rigen Alam
    The document discusses the chemical composition and properties of various gemstones. It provides information on each gemstone's chemical formula, hardness rating, and what ions or imperfections cause their distinctive colors.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GEMSTONES

    THE COLOURS OF GEMSTONES ARE AFFECTED BY DIFFERENCES IN CHEMICAL AND ATOMIC STRUCTURE, LEADING TO THE ABSORPTION OF
    DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS OF LIGHT. THEIR HARDNESS IS MEASURED ON THE MOHS SCALE, WHICH RUNS FROM 1-10.

    ALEXANDRITE

    AMETHYST

    AQUAMARINE

    DIAMOND

    Al2BeO4
    Hardness: 8.5

    SiO2
    Hardness: 7.0

    Be3Al2(SiO3)6
    Hardness: 7.5-8.0

    C
    Hardness: 10

    Colour caused by chromium ions


    replacing aluminium in some sites.
    Colour varies in different light.

    Colour caused by irradiation of


    iron 3+ ions in place of silicon in
    some locations in the structure.

    Colour caused by iron 2+/3+ ions


    replacing aluminium ions in some
    locations in the structure.

    Colourless; can be faintly coloured


    by the trapping of nitrogen atoms
    in the crystal.

    EMERALD

    GARNET

    OPAL

    PEARL

    Be3Al2(SiO3)6

    Mg3Al2(SiO4)3
    Hardness: 6.5-7.5

    SiO2.nH2O
    Hardness: 5.5-6.0

    CaCO3
    Hardness: 2.5-4.5

    Colour caused by chromium ions


    replacing aluminium in some
    locations in the structure.

    Colour caused by iron 2+ ions


    replacing magnesium ions in
    some locations in the structure.

    A play of colours caused by


    interference & diffraction of light
    passing through the structure.

    Produced in the soft tissue of shelled


    molluscs. Most modern pearls are
    artificially cultured.

    PERIDOT

    RUBY

    SAPPHIRE

    SPINEL

    Mg2SiO4
    Hardness: 6.5-7.0

    Al2O3
    Hardness: 9.0

    Al2O3
    Hardness: 9.0

    MgAl2O4
    Hardness: 7.5-8.0

    Colour caused by iron 2+ ions


    replacing magnesium ions in
    some locations in the structure.

    Colour caused by chromium ions


    replacing aluminium ions in some
    locations in the structure.

    Colour caused by titanium and


    iron ions replacing aluminium ions
    in some locations in the structure.

    A variety of colours are possible,


    caused by impurities such as iron,
    chromium and nickel.

    TOPAZ

    TOURMALINE

    TURQUOISE

    ZIRCON

    Al2SiO4(F,OH)2
    Hardness: 8.0

    Na3Li3Al6(BO3)3(SiO3)6F4

    Hardness: 7.0-7.5

    Al6(PO4)4(OH)8.4H2O
    Hardness: 5.0-6.0

    ZrSiO4
    Hardness: 7.5

    Pure topaz is colourless; blue &


    brown varieties are caused by
    imperfections in atomic structure..

    Colour caused by manganese ions


    replacing lithium and aluminium
    ions in some sites.

    Colour caused by the presence


    of copper ions coordinated to the
    hydroxide ions and water.

    Hardness: 7.5-8.0

    COMPOUND INTEREST 2014 - WWW.COMPOUNDCHEM.COM


    Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NC-ND licence.

    A range of possible colours that


    depend on the impurities present.
    Colourless specimens are popular
    diamond substitutes.

    For more information & references, see www.compoundchem.com/2014/06/29/what-causes-the-colour-of-gemstones

    BY

    NC

    ND

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