Diaspore Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Diaspore is hard enough to make a durable jewelry stone, but the typical light brownish color is not easy to sell. Despite the large Turkish material, this is a very rare gemstone indeed.
DIASPOREDimorph of Boehmite.
Optics: a = 1.702; β = 1.722; γ = 1.750.
Biaxial (+). 2V = 85°.
Occurrence: In metamorphosed limestones, chloritic schists, and altered igneous rocks. Also in bauxite deposits.
Mamaris, Yagatan, Mugla Province, Turkey: gemmy, pale brown crystals of very large size.
Chester, Massachusetts: with corundum in emery deposit; some fragments cuttable.
Chester County Pennsylvania: fine transparent crystals up to 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick, colorless to brown; some cuttable. Hungary: good crystals.
Postmasburg district, South Africa: manganiferous variety.
Cornwall, England; Greenland; Norway; Sweden; France; Switzerland; Germany; Greece; USSR; Japan; China
Comments: Diaspore is hard enough to make a durable jewelry stone, but the typical light brownish color is not easy to sell. Despite the large Turkish material, this is a very rare gemstone indeed.
Name: From the Greek diaspeirein, meaning to scatter, because it falls apart in the hot flame of a blowpipe.
