Topaz

Refractive Index : 1.627-1.619 (+ 0.010 – 0.010)
Optical Characteristic : DR, Biaxial positive
Specific Gravity : 3.53 (+ 0.04 – 0.04)
Formula : AI2(F,OH)2SiO4
Crystal System : Orthorhombic
Variety/Species : All
Species/Group : Topaz
Birefringence : 0.008 to 0.010
Dispersion : 0.014
Hardness : 8
Toughness : Poor
Ultrasonic : Never
Steam : Never
UV : Yellow to brown, pink to red : weak to moderate orange-yellow (LW), gnerally weaker in SW,

Some pinks : Moderate greenish white (SW)

Blue, colorless : Inert to weak yellow or green (LW), generally weaker in SW

UV Short : See above
Pleochroism : 2 or 3 colors
Strength : Weak to moderate

Pleochroism Colors : Yellow : Weak to moderate brownish yellow, yellow and orange-yellowBrown : Weak to moderate yellow brown and brownRed and pink : Weak to moderate light red and orangy red to yellow

Green : Weak to moderate brownish blue-green and light green

Blue : Weak to moderate different tones of blue

Heat : May fracture
Acids : Slightly attacked by acids
Light : some may fade
Polish Luster : Vitreous
Fracture : Conchoidal
Fracture Luster : Vitreous
Clarity Type : I
Tones : 2-8
Saturations : 1-5
Cause of Color : Pink, red – chromium;Blue, yellow and brown – various color centersOthers – color centers and chromium.
Enhancements : Heating, irrradiation
Cleavage : Perfect basal in 1 direction
Color Range : Colorless. yellow, brown, pink, red, purble-red, red-purple, orange, green, yellowish green, greenish yellow, purplish, yellow-brown, blue, pale blue, medium blue
Transparency : Transparent
Phenomena : Chatoyancy (rare)

Separations : Natural Topaz from-

Tourmaline : Birefringence, optic character/sign, SG, cleavage

Andalusite : SG, pleochroism, cleavage, color

Beryl : RI, SG, optic character/sign, cleavage

Quartz : RI, SG, optic character, cleavage, spectrum

Synthetic spinel : RI, optic character, cleavage

Apatite : SG, optic character/sign, birefringence, cleavage, spectrum

Danburite : SG, Birefringence, cleavage

Identifying Characteristics and information
2 or 3-phase inclusions. Faint doubling of facet edges visible in the microscope. Cream phosphorescene(rerely)
May show only 2 colors of pleochrosim
Spectral Data
Not diagonistic.
Trade Names and Misnomers
Blue topaz(S)
Cat’s Eye Topaz(S)
Colorless Topaz
Finder’s Diamond(M)
Hyacinth Topaz
Imperial Topaz(S)
Killiecrankie Diamond(M)
Mogok Diamond(M)
Precious Topaz
pycnite

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bookmark and Share!

del.icio.us:Topaz digg:Topaz spurl:Topaz wists:Topaz simpy:Topaz newsvine:Topaz blinklist:Topaz furl:Topaz reddit:Topaz fark:Topaz blogmarks:Topaz Y!:Topaz smarking:Topaz magnolia:Topaz segnalo:Topaz gifttagging:Topaz

Comments

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment, tip or suggestion

You must be logged in to post a comment.