Abstract
Natural blue-green beryl from Turkey has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Cathodoluminescence (CL). Beryl has the chemical formula Be3Al2Si6O18 and is hexagonal with space group P6/mcc. Chemical analyses of the beryl sample utilised inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) for major oxides and trace elements. It shows that the beryl sample is rich in Cs (531 ppm) and contains low concentrations of transition-metal ions, in total 2.29 wt.% Fe, 269 ppm Mn, V < 5 ppm and Cr 20 ppm. Ideas on the origin of the green colour of this mineral are presented. The CL spectrum of the bulk sample display intense broad band emission from similar to 360 to similar to 800 nm. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.