- 1Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland (luca.knecht@unibe.ch)
- 2NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern, Switzerland
Colour variations within the same type of gemstone are caused by different abundances of trace elements. But apart from producing pretty colours, the analysis of the trace elements in gemstones is frequently used to distinguish between synthetic and natural specimen, for provenance determination, and treatment detection [1]. Every gemstone element composition is closely tied to its geological origin; thus, it is possible to determine the provenance according to those unique ‘fingerprints’. However, for some gemstones, such as sapphires, provenance determination remains challenging due to geologically similar deposits, consequently often leading to similar trace element abundances [2, 3].
This contribution presents the capabilities of a Laser Ablation and Ionization Mass Spectrometer (LIMS) instrument, called the Laser Mass Spectrometer – Gran Turismo (LMS-GT) [4, 5], in trace element analysis for gemstones. The study examined two samples (provided by the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF): a yellow sapphire, treated with beryllium diffusion to create the colour, and a synthetic dark blue spinel, produced via the Verneuil method. A gold coating was applied to mitigate surface charging effects, and peak-blanking was used to enhance the instrument’s limit of detection [6, 7].
The study focused on elements critical for provenance determination, including Mg, Ti, Fe, Ga, and other measured trace elements. The obtained data were compared to measurements performed with other instruments on the same gemstone varieties. This contribution will highlight the current progress of the study and discuss the advantages of the LMS-GT instrument in relation to other methodologies, emphasizing its potential to improve trace element detection and provenance determination in gemological research.
[1] S. Karampelas, et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35449-7_3.
[2] Lee A. Groat, et al., 2019, http://dx.doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.55.4.512.
[3] M. Y. Krebs, et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.3390/min10050447.
[4] M. Tulej, et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/app11062562.
[5] C. P. de Koning, et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2021.116662.
[6] S. Gruchola, et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2022.116803.
[7] S. Gruchola, et al., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3JA00078H.
How to cite: Knecht, L. N., Gruchola, S., Keresztes Schmidt, P., Tulej, M., Riedo, A., and Wurz, P.: Capabilities of LIMS in the Context of Trace Element Analysis and Provenance Determination of Gemstones, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10028, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10028, 2025.
