Thursday Theme=Mineral

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. A rock, by comparison, is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids, and need not have a specific chemical composition. Minerals range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex silicates with thousands of known forms. The study of minerals is called mineralogy.---- Wikipedia

Uncut Tanzanite

TANZANITE, the gemstone variety of zoisite
VARIETY INFORMATION:

VARIETY OF: Zoisite, Ca2Al3(SiO4)3(OH), Calcium Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide.
USES: Gemstone
COLOR: various shades of blue to lavender, deeper along the crystal axis.
INDEX OF REFRACTION: 1.68 - 1.72
BIREFRINGENCE: is good
HARDNESS: 6.5-7
CLEAVAGE: perfect in one direction
CRYSTAL SYSTEM: orthorhombic

Tanzanite is relatively new on the gemstone market, but has left its mark. Its blue-lavender color is rather unique and a wonderful addition to the gemstone palette. Found in Tanzania (hence the name) in 1967, it has since become a well known and widely distributed gemstone. It has become so popular that in October of 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced that tanzanite had joined zircon and turquoise in the traditional list of birthstones for the month of December.
It has better fire than the tourmaline elbaite or peridot and an adequate hardness. Its only one direction of cleavage is somewhat of a problem because it is oriented with the direction of strongest pleochroism. This would be a problem in most gemstones because that is the direction the gemcutter would usually select to maximize the color. However, with tanzanite the color is usually strong enough anyway.
Pleochroism is very pronounced in tanzanite and is seen as three different color shades in the same stone. In the viewing of a tanzanite stone from different angles, the colors dark-blue, green-yellow and red-purple can all be seen as a result of the pleochroism. Lesser stones may have a brownish color due to the mixing of blue, purple and green. These stones are usually heat treated to a deep blue color. Iolite is a blue-violet gemstone variety of the mineral cordierite, has strong pleochroism and can be confused with tanzanite. However, iolite is usually less strongly colored, its pleochroic colors vary from blue-violet to yellowish gray to blue and it has less fire.
Nearly all tanzanite has been heat treated to generate the beautiful violet-blue color this stone is known for. When first mined, most stones are a muted green color. The only known source of Tanzanite is a five square mile hilltop at Merelani, ten miles south of the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. ---Google-Minerals by NameThe Beautiful Land of Tanzanite

How I Came to Love Tanzanite
Five years ago I spent a week in Jamaica attending my youngest daughter's destination wedding. Needless to say a good time was had by all as our family from the USA gathered together for a glorious time. While there I went to the jewelry stores in our hotel looking for a blue sapphire ring, but an absolutely beautiful tanzanite with diamonds ring caught my eye. After looking at it on several occasions I purchased it on the day I departed Jamaica. This ring has become my second favorite piece of jewelry, my first is a diamond cross my oldest daughter gave me for Christmas nine years ago. It is the ring I wear practically all the time along with my mother's ring which has two garnets, two aquamarines and one topaz. I travel a lot and one of the things I always seem to come home with is a piece or two of jewelry(ring or earrings).



This is my tanzanite ring


To all People who loves Nature
Dear travel agent take money for the ticket,
enough for two first class return tickets,
to fly to a beautiful land of Tanzanite!
Respected pilot when do we start the flight,
a flight to the beautiful land of Tanzanite?
She has been waiting for me day and night,
waiting over there at Dar-es-Salaam Airport.
After breakfast at Kilimanjaro mountain top,
i will give her a wedding ring of Diamond,
before a wedding at the cornerstone church.
On a huge Ostrich we will take a free ride,
while watching animals in Ngorongoro park,
then a motorboats ride in the Victoria Lake.
I will buy her a special Tanzanite bracelet,
just before honeymoon in the Zanzibar Island.
We will eat fruits in the Masai Grassland,
then visit the mines of Diamonds and Gold.
We will visit the historical Olduvai Gorge,
while eating fish from the Lake Tanganyika.
Yes Tanzania the beautiful land of Tanzanite!
by
Edward Paul Manega


A GEM OF A DAY

click here to listen to the new ICA Gemstone Song... (Flash PlugIn required)

Lyrics:
The air is crystal clear and here comes the sun
Sending fire opal rays to chase the chills
Silent jasper Mountains know night is done
Fancy light fills the cabochon hills.

Aquamarine sky hosting glittering clouds
Wind is blowing - they sail lazily.
Throwing million dots of sparkles around
Like golden dust trapped in lapis lazuli.

--Chorus--
Listen to the colors, follow your heart,
Let us come together now,
From violet to red love traveled a mile,
We're coming and she's showing us how.

Citrine shore relaxing yellow and warm,
Small hematite fish play in the waves.
The sea is deep velvet blue sapphire
Cradling pearls inside their oysters.

Juicy mandarin fruits and amethyst grapes
Are growing between emerald leaves'
Tsavorite groves sread longing faacets on the earth
"Tanza-night" falls - fancy sapphire sun leaves.

This day is a Gem - saying one thing for all:
Love in you, I am them, calibrating hearts to this call:

--Chorus--
Listen to the colors, follow your heart,
Let us come together now,
From violet to red love traveled a mile,
We're coming and she's showing us how.

While opal moon escorted by topaz stars
Paints an onyx trail to the milky way,
Morganite cheeks with marble teeth smile
And hand you poppies red like ruby, like spinel, saying:

--Chorus--
Listen to the colors, follow your heart,
Let us come together now,
From violet to red love traveled a mile,
We're coming and she's showing us how.