Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province
BACKGROUND The Xichuan turquoise mining area in Henan Province belongs to the east extension of the turquoise metallogenic belt in the junction of Hubei and Shaanxi Provinces. A lot of turquoise artifacts have been excavated in many early archaeological sites near Xichuan. Therefore, the distributio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Science Press, PR China
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Yankuang ceshi |
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| Online Access: | http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.201809090102 |
| _version_ | 1797953774061355008 |
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| author | LI Xin-tong XIAN Yi-heng FAN Jing-yi ZHANG Lu-fan GUO Jing-wen GAO Zhan-yuan WEN Rui |
| author_facet | LI Xin-tong XIAN Yi-heng FAN Jing-yi ZHANG Lu-fan GUO Jing-wen GAO Zhan-yuan WEN Rui |
| author_sort | LI Xin-tong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND The Xichuan turquoise mining area in Henan Province belongs to the east extension of the turquoise metallogenic belt in the junction of Hubei and Shaanxi Provinces. A lot of turquoise artifacts have been excavated in many early archaeological sites near Xichuan. Therefore, the distribution of the Xichuan turquoises has attracted wide attention of many archaeologists. OBJECTIVES To study mineralogical characteristics of Xichuan turquoise in order to improve the mineralogical study of turquoise in different mining areas in China and provide important data support for tracing the mineral resources of early turquoise artifacts in China. METHODS Technologies including polarizing micro-scope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction were applied to study the texture and structure of turquoise. Electron probe microanalysis and back scattered electron imaging were applied to study the mineral assemblage of Xichuan turquoise. RESULTS Xichuan turquoise, ring-like, nodular and patchy granular was primarily composed of fine scaly, short columnar and lamellar microcrystalline aggregates. By comparing the microcrystalline structures of different samples, it was noted that the sizes, shapes and distributions could affect the densification and color of Xichuan turquoise. Quartz, chalcedony and iron oxide were common in the Xichuan turquoise aggregate. Svanbergite could also be observed in some samples. CONCLUSIONS By comparing the mineral assemblages of turquoise in other mining areas, it was found that Xichuan turquoise was similar to the turquoise in Hubei Province with quartz and limonite as main mineral impurities, different from the turquoise in Anhui Province with kaolinite as main mineral impurities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:07:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-073a7866f06b476f848656c7f0714836 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0254-5357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:07:26Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Science Press, PR China |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Yankuang ceshi |
| spelling | doaj.art-073a7866f06b476f848656c7f07148362023-01-13T10:05:08ZengScience Press, PR ChinaYankuang ceshi0254-53572019-07-0138437338110.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.201809090102ykcs-38-4-373Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan ProvinceLI Xin-tong0XIAN Yi-heng1FAN Jing-yi2ZHANG Lu-fan3GUO Jing-wen4GAO Zhan-yuan5WEN Rui6Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Research, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Research, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaScientific and Archaeological Research Center, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaScientific and Archaeological Research Center, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaScientific and Archaeological Research Center, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaTianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Conservation and Research, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, ChinaBACKGROUND The Xichuan turquoise mining area in Henan Province belongs to the east extension of the turquoise metallogenic belt in the junction of Hubei and Shaanxi Provinces. A lot of turquoise artifacts have been excavated in many early archaeological sites near Xichuan. Therefore, the distribution of the Xichuan turquoises has attracted wide attention of many archaeologists. OBJECTIVES To study mineralogical characteristics of Xichuan turquoise in order to improve the mineralogical study of turquoise in different mining areas in China and provide important data support for tracing the mineral resources of early turquoise artifacts in China. METHODS Technologies including polarizing micro-scope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction were applied to study the texture and structure of turquoise. Electron probe microanalysis and back scattered electron imaging were applied to study the mineral assemblage of Xichuan turquoise. RESULTS Xichuan turquoise, ring-like, nodular and patchy granular was primarily composed of fine scaly, short columnar and lamellar microcrystalline aggregates. By comparing the microcrystalline structures of different samples, it was noted that the sizes, shapes and distributions could affect the densification and color of Xichuan turquoise. Quartz, chalcedony and iron oxide were common in the Xichuan turquoise aggregate. Svanbergite could also be observed in some samples. CONCLUSIONS By comparing the mineral assemblages of turquoise in other mining areas, it was found that Xichuan turquoise was similar to the turquoise in Hubei Province with quartz and limonite as main mineral impurities, different from the turquoise in Anhui Province with kaolinite as main mineral impurities.http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.201809090102turquoisemineral structurecrystal typesvanbergitekaolinitepowder x-ray diffractionscanning electron microscopyelectron microprobe |
| spellingShingle | LI Xin-tong XIAN Yi-heng FAN Jing-yi ZHANG Lu-fan GUO Jing-wen GAO Zhan-yuan WEN Rui Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province Yankuang ceshi turquoise mineral structure crystal type svanbergite kaolinite powder x-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy electron microprobe |
| title | Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province |
| title_full | Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province |
| title_fullStr | Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province |
| title_short | Application of EMPA-XRD-SEM to Study the Mineralogical Characteristics of Turquoise from Xichuan, Henan Province |
| title_sort | application of empa xrd sem to study the mineralogical characteristics of turquoise from xichuan henan province |
| topic | turquoise mineral structure crystal type svanbergite kaolinite powder x-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy electron microprobe |
| url | http://www.ykcs.ac.cn/en/article/doi/10.15898/j.cnki.11-2131/td.201809090102 |
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