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diaspore - Turkey

Diaspore Value, Price, and Jewelry Information


Diaspore is hard enough to make a durable jewelry stone, but the typical light brownish color is not easy to sell. Despite the large Turkish material, this is a very rare gemstone indeed.

HomeGemstonesDiaspore Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
By Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA, updated on

DIASPOREDimorph of Boehmite.

Optics:  a = 1.702;  β = 1.722;  γ = 1.750.

Biaxial (+). 2V = 85°.

Occurrence: In metamorphosed limestones, chloritic schists, and altered igneous rocks. Also in bauxite deposits.

Mamaris, Yagatan, Mugla Province, Turkey: gemmy, pale brown crystals of very large size.

Chester, Massachusetts: with corundum in emery deposit; some fragments cuttable.

Chester County Pennsylvania: fine transparent crystals up to 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick, colorless to brown; some cuttable. Hungary: good crystals.

Postmasburg district, South Africa: manganiferous variety.

Cornwall, England; Greenland; Norway; Sweden; France; Switzerland; Germany; Greece; USSR; Japan; China

Comments: Diaspore is hard enough to make a durable jewelry stone, but the typical light brownish color is not easy to sell. Despite the large Turkish material, this is a very rare gemstone indeed.

Name: From the Greek diaspeirein, meaning to scatter, because it falls apart in the hot flame of a blowpipe.

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