Micro-World Gems & Gemology, Summer 2023, Vol. 59, No. 2

Triplite Inclusions in Quartz from Yaogangxian, China

Qian Zhang, Xingtong Li, and Hongtao Shen

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Figure 1. A 30.80 ct faceted quartz containing pinkish orange inclusions. Photo by Hongtao Shen; courtesy of Jinrui Dong.
 
Figure 1. A 30.80 ct faceted quartz containing pinkish orange inclusions. Photo by Hongtao Shen; courtesy of Jinrui Dong.

Quartz is host to a wide variety of inclusions. Recently, the authors examined a 30.80 ct transparent faceted quartz with several pinkish orange crystal inclusions, from the town of Yaogangxian in Hunan Province, China (figure 1). This quartz was cut from a rough stone collected by a local miner. In this quartz, the pinkish orange inclusions were unique and attractive.

Figure 2. Magnification of pinkish orange triplite in a transparent quartz from Yaogangxian in Hunan Province, China. Photomicrograph by Hongtao Shen; field of view 11.15 mm.
 
Figure 2. Magnification of pinkish orange triplite in a transparent quartz from Yaogangxian in Hunan Province, China. Photomicrograph by Hongtao Shen; field of view 11.15 mm.

After grinding, one of these inclusions was exposed to the surface (figure 2). Raman spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence were used to identify the inclusion as triplite.

Triplite, (Mn2+,Fe2+)2PO4(F,OH), is a rare phosphate mineral that can be found as either a gem material or an inclusion. Most triplites are produced in pegmatite, as with quartz. Triplite inclusions have been reported in topaz (Summer 2016 G&G Micro-World, p. 205) and beryl (Spring 2020 G&G Micro-World, p. 145). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first discovery of triplite as an inclusion in quartz.

Qian Zhang and Xingtong Li are affiliated with the Gemmological Institute, and Hongtao Shen is affliliated with the State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan.