Emerald- May's Birthstone

[kristin]

Emerald- May’s Birthstone

Some historians estimate that the Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500 BC. Although some say the ancient Romans knew of an emerald mine in the European Alps, Egypt was the major source of emeralds until the 16th century. That is when Spanish explorers learned of abundant emerald mines in South America, in Colombia, which is still an important source today.
People have been treating emeralds as long as they have been cutting them. Filling fractures with colorless oil can improve emeralds color by making it look deeper and more even. Oiling is not considered permanent, over time, some oils can evaporate and leave a brown residue. Oils are also vulnerable to heat and solvents.

[kristin]

Trapiche Emeralds

Found only in Colombia at Coscuez, La Peña and Muzo mines, Their six spoke-like carbon "rays" emanating from a hexagonal center with the areas in between filled with emerald green. These rays appear much like asterism, but, unlike asterism, they are not caused by light reflection from tiny parallel inclusions, but by black carbon impurities that happen to form in the same pattern. A Trapiche is the result of the growth of an Emerald Crystal with the darkened impurity of lutite. As the Crystal grows in its normal six-sided shape, the darker lutite is pushed to the center of the Crystal and then radiates out in the six directions of the corners of the Crystal.