taaffeite
Detailed sheet
taaffeite
It is named after an Irish gemologist, Count Charles Taaffe, who discovered it in 1945 in a lot of cut spinel from Sri Lanka.
All the characteristics of one of the stones were identical to the ones of spinels, except for the presence of a birefringence (spinels are not birefringent). Analysis conducted in London showed that this cut stone was a new mineral species.
For the first time a new mineral was identified from a cut stone and not from a rough crystal.
The gem variety is also known as magnesiotaaffeite.
There is also a variety rich in iron: the ferrotaaffeite.
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Mg3Al8BeO16
aluminum, magnesium and beryllium oxide
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Main color
purple
Other colors
grey, colourless, green
Color of streak
white
Luster
vitreous
Hardness
8.0 to 8.5
Density
3.60 to 3.65
Cleavage
none
Fracture
conchoidal
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency
transparent
Refractive index
1.716 - 1.770
Double refraction
0.040
strong, positive uniaxial
visible double refraction
Yes
Dispersion
-
Pleochroism
very weak
Number of colors
1
Absorption spectrum
558 - 553 - 478
Fluorescence
variable
sometimes in green
CRYSTALS PROPERTIES
dipyramidal
crystals system
hexagonal
OTHER INFORMATIONS
APPROACHING GEMS
Exploited
sites
Rare stone, it is found in Sri Lanka (Ratnapura), Sweden, Burma (Mogok), China (Hunan), Australia (Mount Painter), Tanzania (Tunduru).
use in jewelry
It is faceted, collection stone but also for jewelry : it has long been mistaken for a spinel, and used as spinels.
Its high hardness and strength make it a stone of choice for rings.
Daily care
and precautions
little fragile, as spinels. Easy cleaning
Other
Gems
Venez visitez
notre site web
voillot-joaillier.fr
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