Spring 2007

Gem News International

TUCSON REPORT

COLORED STONES AND ORGANIC MATERIALS

• “Emerald” green fluorite from India. Cat’s-eye leifite from Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada.
• Play-of-color opal from Piauí, Brazil.
• Prehnite from Merelani, Tanzania.
• Colorado rhodochrosite near end of availability.
• Serpentinite from Argentina, marketed as “Andes Jade.”
• New variscite production from Western Australia.

INSTRUMENTS AND TECHNIQUES

• Portable Raman spectrometer and the CrystalSleuth software.

GNI REGULAR FEATURES

COLORED STONES AND ORGANIC MATERIALS

• Amethyst from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Color-zoned andradite from Iran, with calcite inclusions.
• Emerald with unusual growth features.
• Grossular and clinozoisite from San Diego County, California.
• New pegmatite gem production from Tsarafara, Madagascar.
• Pezzottaite from Myanmar.
• Cat’s-eye prehnite.
• Cat’s-eye topaz from Sri Lanka.
• Tourmaline (dravite and liddicoatite) from northeastern Mozambique.
• Turquoise from Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico.

TREATMENTS

• Lead glass–filled rubies with hollow backs set in a closed-back mounting.

MISCELLANEOUS

• October 2006 Myanmar Gem Emporium, and other gem news from Myanmar.