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Unusual Gems
Chip Clark
Specimen | Catalog Number | Locality | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Stibiotantalite | NMNH G4917 | Brazil | 7.30 ct |
Cuprite | NMNH G8122 | South West Africa | 203.90 ct |
Wulfenite | NMNH G9973 | United States, Arizona | 6.10 ct |
Scheelite | NMNH G8636 | United States, California | 37.04 ct |
Scheelite | NMNH G3803 | United States, Arizona | 12.40 ct |
Zincite | NMNH G3386 | United States, New Jersey | 20.10 ct |
Center: a pale yellow stibiotantalite gem (7.3ct) from Brazil. Clockwise from top: an exceptionally large deep red cuprite gem (203ct) from Namibia; a colorless scheelite gem (37.04ct) from California; an orange-red wulfenite gem (6.05ct) from Arizona; a brilliant red zincite gem (20.1ct) from Franklin, New Jersey; and a yellow scheelite gem (12.4ct) from Arizona. Scheelite is the major ore of tungsten (used in light bulb filaments and special steel alloys), but occasionally crystals of scheelite are found that can be cut into gems.