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 Post subject: Blue spodumene
PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2019 4:56 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm
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Location: Paris
Is there such a thing as a blue spodumene ?
There is one for sale here (n° 118 - the picture is not so good alas...)
http://fr.zone-secure.net/31103/1015824/#page=53
Comes with a report from a lab I didn't know : AIG, from Belgium.
http://fr.zone-secure.net/31103/1015824/#page=67

Would the color be stable for such a stone ? I guess it's a kind of mineral curiosity... I cannot decide if I find it nice looking or not.


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 Post subject: Re: Blue spodumene
PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2019 7:16 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
They certainly exist, but the color is not stable. It can also be produced by irradiation similar to the greens and purples, though I think it is more scarce. The color can actually range all the way to aquamarine-like blue without these strong green tones. I have seen speculation that it's a higher oxidation state of manganese that produces it, but that's really just speculation.
Edit: here's a particularly nice picture of one from Salman Khan of Arsaa Gems: https://www.flickr.com/photos/koheqaf/4724218282/
No doubt he's using an LED flashlight which will help push the blue end of the color but still.

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 Post subject: Re: Blue spodumene
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2019 2:54 pm 
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OK, so I think I'll skip my turn on this one. If the color goes away as soon as it sees a ray of sun...
Already, there is a noticeable color difference between the catalogue picture and the one of the lab report !
Thanks Stephen.

I love this comment on the report, in the "additional grading characteristics" :
"Color grade : Good color quality"
:D :D :D


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 Post subject: Re: Blue spodumene
PostPosted: Thu May 30, 2019 6:47 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
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Location: San Francisco
I bought a blue spodumene from Jason Brim some years back.
He sent it in a black zip lock.
It remains there in the safe, checked periodically: still blue, as of about a year ago.

I got one from another source which came in a transparent gem jar. Today totally colorless.


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