DISCRIMINATION OF EMERALD ORIGINS BY CHEMICAL COMPONENTS

LÊ THỊ THU HƯƠNG¹, WOLFGANG HOFMEISTER²

¹Faculty of Geology, Hà Nội University of Natural Sciences, Nguyễn Trãi, Hà Nội
²Institute of Geology, Mainz University, Germany

Abstract: Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Electron Microprobe Analysis (EMPA) were used to determine the concentration of 30 elements, i.e. Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Ga, Ge, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cs, Ba, La and Ta, in 36 emerald samples from various localities and different types of synthesis. The concentration of principal elements may allow us to specify whether the stone is natural or synthetic in the first place. It might also be possible to classify natural emerald whether of schist type or of non-schist type basing on the concentration of other elements, such as Na, K and Mg. Some identical localities, such as Chivor and Malipo, could be specified due to low and high concentration of Fe and V, respectively.