Gemmological Characteristics of Fuchsite Jade from Kola Peninsula, Russia

The fuchsite jade samples from Kola Peninsula, Russia appeared on Tuscon mineral, gemstone and fossil exhibition in 2010 The mineral components, structures and gemmological characteristics of the fuchsite jade samples are studied by using the X-ray powder diffraction spectrometer (XRD), laser-induced breakdown spectroscope (LIBS), infrared spectrometer (FTIR) as well as polarizing microscope, The results show that the fuchsite jade,which is of heterogranular crystalloblastic texture and gneissic structure, contains fuchsite,quartz, feldspar, and a small amount of cyanite, grenatite, kaolinite and pyrite. After the comparison with aventurine quartz, the content of fuchsite with 20% is suggested as the boundary between fuchsite jade and aventurine quartz, and the corresponding gemmological and physical properties can be used to distinguish between fuchsite jade and aventurine quartz.