Difference between revisions of "Zircon"

Latest revision as of 13:54, 24 January 2023

Jeweled brooch
MFA# 1998.569

Description

Zircon

A natural mineral ore of zirconium silicate primarily used to produce Zirconium. The zircon tetragonal prism crystals are found on beaches or in river placer deposits in association with Silica containing minerals. The hard, refractory, but brittle crystals come in a wide range of colors: yellow, green, blue, red to brown. Clear zircon crystals, sold as Matura diamonds, make very brilliant gemstones because of their high refractive index. Clear yellow to red zircon, called Hyacinth or jacinth, is also used as a gem. Ancient gems of hessonite garnets were also called jacinth and hyacinth which led to some being incorrectly labeled zircon (Ogden 1982). Zircons from Sri Lanka have been used for 2000 years. Large deposits are found in Australia. Other sources are Brazil, India, Pakistan, Thailand, New Zealand, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Western Africa, Norway (Seiland), Russia, Canada (Ontario) and the U.S. (Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, New Jersey).

Zircon sand

Synonyms and Related Terms

zirconium silicate; zirkelite; zirconite; zircon sand; Matura diamonds; jacinth; hyacinth; jargoon; jargon; Zircopax [Titanium Alloy Mfg.]; Superpax; Ultrox [M&T Chemical]; cubic zirconia; Zirkon (Deut.); zircón (Esp.); circón (Esp.); zircon (Fr.); zirkoon (Ned.); cyrkon (Pol.); zircão (Port.)

Raman (Lyon)

Raman (U of Parma)

Raman Jacinth (MFA)

Chemical structure

Risks

Contact and inhalation of zirconium compounds may cause nodules under the skin and in the lungs.
Fisher Scientific: MSDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

Insoluble in acids
Tetragonal system with tabular to prismatic crystals
Fracture = conchoidal to uneven
Luster = adamantine to vitreous
Streak = colorless
Pleochroism = moderate purplish red to brown dichroism
Fluorescence = some show dull yellow color; some may phosphoresce. Not diagnostic.
Birefringence = 0 to 0.059

Heating brown zircon crystals produces strong colors (blue, green, red, etc.) that fade slowly with time or with UV exposure.

Composition	ZrSiO4
CAS	14940-68-2
Mohs Hardness	6.0 - 7.5
Melting Point	2550 C
Density	4.0-4.7 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 183.31
Refractive Index	1.94; 1.98
Dispersion	0.038 (moderate fire sometimes masked by body color)

Comparisons

Properties of Common Gemstones

Natural and Simulated Diamonds

Resources and Citations

Gem Identification Lab Manual, Gemological Institute of America, 2016.
Jack Odgen, Jewellery of the Ancient World, Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
R.F.Symmes, T.T.Harding, Paul Taylor, Rocks, Fossils and Gems, DK Publishing, Inc., New York City, 1997
Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "zircon" [Accessed December 11, 2001]. (color photo and tech Info)
Website: http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/347k/redesign/gem_notes/Zircon/zircon_triple.htm (fluorescence information)
C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
Wikipedia: Zircon (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005 and Jan 2023)
G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 890
The Merck Index, Susan Budavari (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Whitehouse Station, NJ, 12th Edition, 1996 Comment: entry 9986
Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:1998.569-SC8319.jpg|thumb|'''MFA Acc. #:''' 1998.569]]
+[[File:1998.569-SC8319.jpg|thumb|Jeweled brooch<br>MFA# 1998.569]]
 == Description ==
-A natural mineral ore of zirconium silicate primarily used to produce [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=zirconium zirconium]. The zircon tetragonal prism crystals are found on beaches or in river placer deposits in association with [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=silica silica] containing minerals. The hard, refractory, but brittle crystals come in a wide range of colors: yellow, green, blue, red to brown. Clear zircon crystals, sold as Matura diamonds, make very brilliant gemstones because of their high refractive index. Clear yellow to red zircon, called [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=hyacinth hyacinth] or jacinth, is also used as a gem. Ancient gems of hessonite garnets were also called jacinth and hyacinth which led to some being incorrectly labeled zircon (Ogden 1982). Zircons from Sri Lanka have been used for 2000 years. Large deposits are found in Australia. Other sources are Brazil, India, Pakistan, Thailand, New Zealand, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Western Africa, Norway (Seiland), Russia, Canada (Ontario) and the U.S. (Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, New Jersey).
 [[File:pz30324zircon2.jpg|thumb|Zircon]]
+A natural mineral ore of zirconium silicate primarily used to produce [[zirconium]]. The zircon tetragonal prism crystals are found on beaches or in river placer deposits in association with [[silica]] containing minerals. The hard, refractory, but brittle crystals come in a wide range of colors: yellow, green, blue, red to brown. Clear zircon crystals, sold as Matura diamonds, make very brilliant gemstones because of their high refractive index. Clear yellow to red zircon, called [[hyacinth]] or jacinth, is also used as a gem. Ancient gems of hessonite garnets were also called jacinth and hyacinth which led to some being incorrectly labeled zircon (Ogden 1982). Zircons from Sri Lanka have been used for 2000 years. Large deposits are found in Australia. Other sources are Brazil, India, Pakistan, Thailand, New Zealand, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Western Africa, Norway (Seiland), Russia, Canada (Ontario) and the U.S. (Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, New Jersey).
+[[File:Zirconemr1.jpg|thumb|Zircon sand]]
 == Synonyms and Related Terms ==
-zirconium silicate; zirkelite; zirconite; zircon sand; Matura diamonds; jacinth; hyacinth; jargoon; jargon; Zircopax [Titanium Alloy Mfg.]; Superpax; Ultrox [M&T Chemical]; cubic zirconia; Zirkon (Deut.); zircn (Esp.); circn (Esp.); zircon (Fr.); zirkoon (Ned.); cyrkon (Pol.); zirco (Port.)
+zirconium silicate; zirkelite; zirconite; zircon sand; Matura diamonds; jacinth; hyacinth; jargoon; jargon; Zircopax [Titanium Alloy Mfg.]; Superpax; Ultrox [M&T Chemical]; cubic zirconia; Zirkon (Deut.); zircón (Esp.); circón (Esp.); zircon (Fr.); zirkoon (Ned.); cyrkon (Pol.); zircão (Port.)
+[[[SliderGallery rightalign|zirconlyon.jpg~Raman (Lyon)|Zirconitaly1.jpg~Raman (U of Parma)|Jacinth yellow zircon.jpg~Raman Jacinth (MFA)|zircon.jpg~Chemical structure]]]
-[[[SliderGallery rightalign|zirconlyon.jpg~Raman|Zirconitaly1.jpg~Raman|zircon.jpg~Chemical structure]]]
+== Risks ==
-== Other Properties ==
+* Contact and inhalation of zirconium compounds may cause nodules under the skin and in the lungs.
+* Fisher Scientific: [https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/33934.htm MSDS]
-Insoluble in acids.
+== Physical and Chemical Properties ==
-Tetragonal system with square prismatic crystals.
+* Insoluble in acids
+* Tetragonal system with tabular to prismatic crystals
-Fracture = uneven.  Luster = adamantine to vitreous.  Streak = colorless.
+* Fracture = conchoidal to uneven
+* Luster = adamantine to vitreous
-Pleochroic.  Fluorescence = some show dull yellow color; some may phosphoresce.
+* Streak = colorless
+* Pleochroism = moderate purplish red to brown dichroism
+* Fluorescence = some show dull yellow color; some may phosphoresce. Not diagnostic.
+* Birefringence = 0 to 0.059
 Heating brown zircon crystals produces strong colors (blue, green, red, etc.) that fade slowly with time or with UV exposure.
@@ Line 35: / Line 38: @@
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Melting Point
-| 2550
+| 2550 C
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Density
-| 4.6-4.7
+| 4.0-4.7 g/ml
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Molecular Weight
@@ Line 45: / Line 48: @@
 ! scope="row"| Refractive Index
 | 1.94; 1.98
+|-
+! scope="row"| Dispersion
+| 0.038 (moderate fire sometimes masked by body color)
 |}
-== Hazards and Safety ==
-Contact and inhalation of zirconium compounds may cause nodules under the skin and in the lungs.
-Fisher Scientific: [https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/33934.htm MSDS]
-== Additional Information ==
-J. Ogden, ''Jewelry of the Ancient World'', Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 1982.  Mineralogy Database: [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Zircon.shtml Zircon]
 == Comparisons ==
@@ Line 63: / Line 59: @@
 [[media:download_file_441.pdf|Natural and Simulated Diamonds]]
+==Resources and Citations==
+* Gem Identification Lab Manual, Gemological Institute of America, 2016.
-== Additional Images ==
+* Jack Odgen, ''Jewellery of the Ancient World'', Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
+* R.F.Symmes, T.T.Harding, Paul Taylor, ''Rocks, Fossils and Gems'', DK Publishing, Inc., New York City, 1997
-<gallery>
+* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "zircon"  [Accessed December 11, 2001]. (color photo and tech Info)
-File:Zirconemr1.jpg|Zircon sand
+* Website: http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/347k/redesign/gem_notes/Zircon/zircon_triple.htm (fluorescence information)
-</gallery>
+* C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, ''Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
+* Wikipedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon Zircon] (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005 and Jan 2023)
+* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 890
-== Authority ==
-* Jack Odgen, Jack Odgen, ''Jewellery of the Ancient World'', Rizzoli International Publications Inc., New York City, 1982
-* R.F.Symmes, T.T.Harding, Paul Taylor, R.F.Symmes, T.T.Harding, Paul Taylor, ''Rocks, Fossils and Gems'', DK Publishing, Inc., New York City, 1997
-* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "zircon" Encyclopdia Britannica [Accessed December 11, 2001]. (color photo and tech Info)
-* Website address 1, Website address 1  Comment: http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/347k/redesign/gem_notes/Zircon/zircon_triple.htm (fluorescence information)
-* C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, C.W.Chesterman, K.E.Lowe, ''Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979
-* Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com  Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zircon (Accessed Sept. 20, 2005)
-* G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 890
 * ''The Merck Index'', Susan Budavari (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Whitehouse Station, NJ, 12th Edition, 1996  Comment: entry 9986
+* Michael McCann, ''Artist Beware'', Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979
-* Michael McCann, Michael McCann, ''Artist Beware'', Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979
 [[Category:Materials database]]