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What is the primary characteristic of top-quality turquoise?
What is the typical luster of Lapis Lazuli?
What is the primary market for high-quality turquoise jewelry?
What is the term for the shade finest Lapis Lazuli that is medium to dark in tone and highly saturated?
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What is the name of the trade grade of Lapis Lazuli that is characterized by its intense, uniform, medium-dark, slightly violetish blue color?
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What is the typical toughness of Lapis Lazuli?
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What is the type of matrix that can be found in turquoise?
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What is the typical color range of Lapis Lazuli?
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What is an inclusion of Lapis Lazuli that might be present in some specimens?
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What type of jewelry is Lapis Lazuli often used in?
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What is the characteristic of Chilean Lapis Lazuli ?
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Which gemstone is known for its 'swirling surf' appearance?
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What is the characteristic of Turquoise gemstone?
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What is the characteristic of Sugilite gemstone?
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Which gemstone is known for its 'fools gold' appearance?
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What is the characteristic of Rhodochrosite gemstone?
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Which gemstone is known for its 'black diamond' appearance?
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What is the characteristic of Azurite gemstone?
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What is the characteristic of Charoite gemstone?
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What is the characteristic of Fluorite gemstone?
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What is the name of the grading system for lapis lazuli in Afghanistan?
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Which of the following gemstones is often found along with copper deposits?
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What is the name of the ceramic process used to imitate lapis lazuli?
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Which of the following gemstones has a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5?
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What is the name of the trade name used to describe pyrite in the trade?
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Which of the following gemstones are natural imitations of turquoise?
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Where is the famous Sleeping Beauty mine located?
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What is the name of the blue gemstone that is only found in Russia?
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Which of the following gemstones is often imitated using glass and plastic?
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What is the name of the blue gemstone that is often described as 'robin's-egg blue'?
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Which of the following gemstones is occasionally flecked with spots of bright red, pink, or orange?
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What is the chemical composition of Turquoise?
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Which of the following gemstones is known for its 'spider web' matrix?
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What is the primary cause of color change in Turquoise?
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What is the purpose of dyeing Lapis Lazuli?
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What is the term for Turquoise that has been polymer- impregnated with colorless wax or dyed wax?
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Which of the following gemstones is often carved into game boards, bowls, and dagger handles?
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What is the primary difference between Lapis Lazuli and Sodalite?
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Which of the following gemstones is typically NOT seen in cabochons and beads, as well as carvings?
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What is the name of the province in Afghanistan where high-quality Lapis Lazuli is mined?
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Study Notes
Gemstones and Minerals
- Lapis Lazuli:
- Semitranslucent to opaque, waxy to vitreous luster
- Finest color is violetish blue, medium to dark in tone, and highly saturated with no visible calcite
- May contain flecks of gold-colored pyrite
- Trade grades are based on color, with Afghan being intense and uniform, and Russian being various tones and intensities of blue
- Turquoise:
- Semitranslucent to opaque, waxy luster
- American and Mexican turquoise is light blue to greenish blue, while Egyptian turquoise is greenish blue to yellowish green
- Even distribution of color is preferred
- Malachite:
- Vivid bluish green to green hue, silky to vitreous luster
- Distinctive banding
- Azurite:
- Dark blue to violetish blue, semitranslucent to opaque, vitreous to waxy luster
- Azurite-Malachite:
- Blend of the two gems, with bands of oceanic blue and green, giving a swirling surf effect
- Fluorite:
- Comes in many colors, but "Blue John" is most popular, with bluish violet to purple curved or angular bands on a reddish to colorless background
- Sugilite:
- Rich red-purple to bluish purple hue, semitransparent to opaque, waxy to vitreous luster
- Charoite:
- Luscious violet color, forming the background for swirls, veins, and patches of black, gray, white, and brownish orange
- Onyx Marble:
- Fairly subdued, with bands of grays and whites
- Rhodochrosite:
- Fine quality transparent pink to dark red, resembling ruby's color
- Translucent and opaque aggregate specimens are plentiful, with soft-edged bands of white, gray, brown, or yellow
- Rhodonite:
- Rosy hue, warm orange-pink to brownish or purplish red, with black veins or patches
- Rarely transparent, generally opaque
- Hematite:
- Opaque dark gray to black gem, sometimes called "black diamond"
- Pyrite:
- Opaque material with a metallic brassy yellow appearance, often mistaken as fallen meteorite or "fool's gold"
- Unakite:
- Granite aggregate consisting of quartz, pink feldspar, and green epidote, with a pink and green color scheme
Largest Consumers
- Lapis Lazuli: used in commercial jewelry and cutting-edge designer jewelry
- Turquoise: top-quality turquoise with no matrix commands the highest prices, with the largest and most consistent market in the American Southwest
Color/Hue Range/Value
- Lapis Lazuli: semitranslucent to opaque, with a waxy to vitreous luster, and a range of colors from violetish blue to deep violet blue to royal blue
- Turquoise: light blue to greenish blue to yellowish green, with Egyptian turquoise being more greenish blue to yellowish green
Variety/Species/Group
- Fluorite: variety "Blue John"
- Onyx Marble: a variety of calcite
Chemical Composition
- Lapis Lazuli: aggregate of lazurite, calcite, and pyrite
- Turquoise: hydrated copper and aluminum phosphate
- Malachite: trace elements of copper
- Azurite: trace elements of copper
- Sugilite: trace elements of manganese
- Rhodochrosite: trace element is manganese
Forming Source
- Lapis Lazuli: frequently contains whitish calcite matrix, with flecks or veins of glinting yellow pyrite
- Turquoise: limonite or sandstone, with Limonite matrix creating dark brown markings in turquoise
Common Cuts
- Lapis Lazuli: cabochons, beads, inlays, and tablets
- Turquoise: cabochon, round or oblong beads, small flat piece inlays
- Malachite: inlays and carvings, and also in bead necklaces and other jewelry
- Sugilite: typically seen in cabochons and beads as well as carvings
- Charoite: most often made into cabochons, beads, and carvings
- Onyx Marble: bookends and other carvings
- Rhodobite: carved or cabochon
- Hematite: often cut into beads, cameos, intaglios, and cabochons
- Sodalite: cabochons and beads, as well as into slabs used for inlays in boxes, clock cases, and other items
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Description
Identify minerals based on their characteristics, such as color, luster, and composition. This quiz covers pyrite, calcite, turquoise, malachite, and azurite.
