Description of the Book: The Encyclopedia of Gemstones and Minerals
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This work offers information on the properties/values of over 200 rocks, stones, jewels and other natural substances. From amber to zinc, and from diamond-edged blades to orthoclase-based porcelains, details about characteristic form, specific gravity, symmetry system, refraction, location, use and commercial value are provided. Among the varied types of information given is a description of the largest diamond ever mined, the fist-sized 3106-carat Culliam diamond which was found in South Africa in 1905 and which now forms part of the British Crown Jewels; an explanation of how the mediaeval alchemists postulated that gold must be divine because it is incorruptible; and an explanation of the low specific gravity of amber and how this can be used as a test for authenticity.
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