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Geology; April 2005; v. 33; no. 4; p. 249-252; DOI: 10.1130/G21261.1
© 2005 Geological Society of America
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Oxygen isotope composition as a tracer for the origins of rubies and sapphires

Gaston Giuliani1, Anthony E. Fallick2, Virginie Garnier3, Christian France-Lanord3, Daniel Ohnenstetter3 and Dietmar Schwarz4

1 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (UR154) and Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
2 Isotope Geosciences Unit, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, East Kilbride, Rankine Avenue, Glasgow G75 0QF, Scotland, UK
3 Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochemiques, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
4 Gübelin Gemmological Laboratory, Maihofstrasse, 102, CH-6000 Lucerne 9, Switzerland

Oxygen isotopic compositions of rubies and sapphires from 106 deposits worldwide, as well as heated natural corundum, have been measured in this study. Artificially heated corundums have the same oxygen isotopic composition as unheated material. The 18O/16O ratio of natural corundum is a good indicator of its geological environment of formation. The consistently restricted {delta}18O range found for each type of deposit is explained by host-rock buffering during fluid-rock interaction. The {delta}18O constrains the geological source of the major type of gem-quality rubies sold on the market and brings new insight to gems found in placers. High-quality blue sapphires from Kashmir, Andranondambo, and Sri Lanka have specific oxygen isotopic ranges, but they overlap those of Mogok in Myanmar. Combined with traditional gemology techniques, oxygen isotope analysis will contribute toward defining the origin of some commercial high-value blue sapphires, especially from Kashmir.

Key Words: ruby • sapphire • oxygen isotopes • placer • geographic origin • gemological applications




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