Quartz characterization to obtain its gemological varieties by means of gamma irradiation and/or heat treatment

Abstract

Despite the large production of quartz in Minas Gerais, little is known about the geological environment influence on the generation of colored varieties by treatment. It is known that gamma irradiation, followed or not by heating, leads to the generation of colors such as amethyst, prasiolite, green gold, beer, cognac, whisky and champagne. Samples from hydrothermal and pegmatitic environments were subjected to tests by absorption spectrometry in the infrared region with the FOURIER transform (FTIR), gamma irradiation and heat treatment. The obtained FTIR-spectra show characteristic bands correlated to doping-elements, which indicates the color appearance potential of the sample, and allow to quantify the applied doses of gamma irradiation and the temperatures in heat treatment. The results of the tests indicate that quartz from a hydrothermal environment with anomalous levels of iron, with FTIR-band of 3585cm-1, factor fa≥ 3.3 and area between 400 a 600u.a*cm-1, may develop a violet color; quartz with lithium anomaly in the crystal structure derived from nuclei of highly differentiated pegmatites rich in lithium minerals, presenting FTIR-band of 3485cm-1, fLi factor ≥ 2 and irradiated with doses of 65 to 400kGy may develop yellow-green and brown colors. It is possible to conclude that amethyst and prasiolite are produced from quartz from a hydrothermal environment, while rare varieties such as green gold, beer, cognac, whisky and champagne are generated from quartz from highly differentiated pegmatites that bear Li-minerals.