Study of an ‘Egyptian’ Emerald from the Mineralogy Museum at the Paris School of Mines
Résumé
A 3.19 ct rectangular faceted emerald, reportedly from Egypt, has been in the collection of the Mineralogy Museum at the Paris School of Mines (Mines Paris – PSL) most likely since the midto late nineteenth century. Its microscopic features (e.g. multiphase inclusions with jagged outlines and gota de aceite structures), and its chemical and spectroscopic characteristics (e.g. mainly related to Cr and V rather than Fe, as well as a low alkali content), are consistent with emeralds from Colombia and completely different from those of known Egyptian stones. Apparently, the species and variety of the specimen were correctly established when the gem arrived in the collection, but its origin was not. The locality may have been deduced from the relatively low gem quality of this faceted emerald, resembling those that were discovered around the same time (early to midnineteenth century) in Egypt.
Domaines
| Origine | Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte |
|---|---|
| Licence | |
| Commentaire | Accord explicite de l'éditeur pour ce dépôt de cette version éditeur (seule contrainte : embargo de 3 mois |