Gems and GemologyGems and Gemology
Home
Tuesday, January 6, 2009Printer-Friendly Page
Service Center
Search
My GIA
Back Issue

Winter 1992, Volume 28, Issue 4

Click to Print
Sapphires from Changle in Shandong Province, China
Jingfeng Guo, Fuquan Wang, and Gerry Yakoumelos


Sapphires were recently found in alluvial deposits and in situ in basaltic rocks near Wutu, Changle County, in central Shandong Province. The fact that significant amounts of sapphire have been found in situ at Changle makes it unique among sapphire deposits in basaltic terrains around the world. (Sapphires have been found in situ elsewhere, but never in such abundance in basalt.) Changle sapphires occur in a range of colors (dark blue, blue, greenish blue, and yellow), but they are predominantly dark blue. Fe, Ga, Ti, Co, and V are the most abundant trace elements present. The gemological properties of Changle sapphires are consistent with those from similar alkalic basalt environments.

Appears on pages 255-260

Back to Table of Contents

Click Here to Buy This Issue or to Subscribe to Gems & Gemology

Home | About GIA | Ethics Helpline | Education | Laboratory | GIA Reports | Research | Instruments & Books | Alumni Association
Gems & Gemology | Employment at GIA | Careers Available | Newsroom | Publications | Library | Events & Trade Shows | Support GIA | GIA History | How to Buy a Diamond
Contact | Search | Site Map | Help
This page was last updated 08/15/05 09:08 AM
Use of this site signifies your agreement to its terms of use.
©2002 - 2009 Gemological Institute of America Inc.
GIA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
All rights reserved.
World Headquarters and Robert Mouawad Campus
5345 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, California 92008
Tel: 760-603-4000