On the color of a large dark-purple crystal of zircon from Afghanistan

IF 1.5 4区地球科学 Q4 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Physics and Chemistry of Minerals Pub Date : 2026-07-16 DOI:10.1007/s00269-026-01352-0

Michail Taran, Volodymyr Khomenko, Ievgen Naumenko, Jörg Nissen, Martin Kutzschbach

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Abstract

Optical absorption spectroscopic investigation of a zircon from Afghanistan, unique in both size and color, show evidence that it represents a new type of purple color in this mineral. By microprobe and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasm (LA-ICP-MS) mass spectrometry analyses, the material is nearly pure ZrSiO₄. The contents of Nb, P, F, Na and Mn are under the detection limits in all point analyses. The mean values of K, Ca, Ti, Sm, Gd, Pb and Ho contents are below 0.001 apfu. The dark-purple, nearly black color of the zircon is thermally unstable. At annealing from 400 to 900 °C it gradually vanishes due to decrease of intensities of the high-energy absorption edge, the broad absorption bands with maxima at ~ 17,970 and 23,900 cm^− 1 (E⊥c) and ~ 18,620, 23,680 and 26,240 cm^− 1 (E||c). Intensities of the weak narrow lines of absorption, which are very likely caused by electronic spin-forbidden ff-transitions of uranium and REE ions, remain unchanged. The origin of the zircon is unclear. By ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U radiometric age ~ 1909 million years, it is Proterozoic.

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来自阿富汗的一大块深紫色锆石晶体的颜色

对一颗来自阿富汗的锆石的光学吸收光谱研究表明，它的大小和颜色都很独特，表明它代表了这种矿物中一种新的紫色。通过微探针和激光烧蚀-电感耦合质谱（LA-ICP-MS）分析，材料接近纯ZrSiO4。各点分析中Nb、P、F、Na、Mn的含量均在检出限以内。K、Ca、Ti、Sm、Gd、Pb、Ho含量平均值均低于0.001 apfu。深紫色，近乎黑色的锆石是热不稳定的。在400°C至900°C退火时，由于高能吸收边强度的降低，它逐渐消失，宽吸收带的最大值在~ 17,970和23,900 cm−1 （E⊥C）和~ 18,620,23,680和26,240 cm−1 （E⊥C）。弱窄吸收谱线的强度保持不变，这很可能是由铀和稀土离子的电子自旋禁止跃迁引起的。锆石的来源尚不清楚。206Pb/238U辐射年龄~ 1909亿年，属于元古代。

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来源期刊

Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 地学-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

14.30%

发文量

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Physics and Chemistry of Minerals is an international journal devoted to publishing articles and short communications of physical or chemical studies on minerals or solids related to minerals. The aim of the journal is to support competent interdisciplinary work in mineralogy and physics or chemistry. Particular emphasis is placed on applications of modern techniques or new theories and models to interpret atomic structures and physical or chemical properties of minerals. Some subjects of interest are: -Relationships between atomic structure and crystalline state (structures of various states, crystal energies, crystal growth, thermodynamic studies, phase transformations, solid solution, exsolution phenomena, etc.) -General solid state spectroscopy (ultraviolet, visible, infrared, Raman, ESCA, luminescence, X-ray, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance, gamma ray resonance, etc.) -Experimental and theoretical analysis of chemical bonding in minerals (application of crystal field, molecular orbital, band theories, etc.) -Physical properties (magnetic, mechanical, electric, optical, thermodynamic, etc.) -Relations between thermal expansion, compressibility, elastic constants, and fundamental properties of atomic structure, particularly as applied to geophysical problems -Electron microscopy in support of physical and chemical studies -Computational methods in the study of the structure and properties of minerals -Mineral surfaces (experimental methods, structure and properties)