Absorption Spectrums

(via Wahroongai News, Volume 32, Number 7, July 1998)

Table of absorption lines for gems and minerals: This section deals with the absorption spectra of gemstones by using the spectroscope. The units are measured in Angstrom units (A), (One Angstrom = one ten millioneth of a millimeter), all figures are in Angstrom units. The gem spectroscope is used on transparent materials but thin slices of opaque materials can be used as long as light passes through it. Strong absorption lines are bracketed and weak lines have no brackets.

Color bands for the spectroscope
Red: 7800 – 6400
Orange: 6400 – 5950
Yellow: 5950 – 5700
Green: 5700 – 5000
Blue: 5000 – 4500
Purple: 4500 – 3800

Agate, dyed yellow: (7000), 6650, 6350
Actinolite: 5030, 4315
Alexandrite, green direction: (6805), 6785, 6650, (6550), 6490, 6450, (6400), (5550)
Alexandrite, red direction: 6805, (6785), 6550, 6450, 6050, 5400, (4720)
Almandine: 6170, (5760), (5270), (5050), 4620, 4380, 4280, 4040, 3930
Amethyst: 5500, 5200
Andalusite: 5535, (5505), 5475, 5250, 5180, 5060, 4950, (4550), 4475, (4360)
Apatite, yellow green: 6053, 6025, 5975, (5855), (5772), 5335, 5295, 5270
Aventurine: 6820, 6490
Axinite: 5320, (5120), (4920), (4660), 4400, 4150
Azurite: 5000
Beryl, dyed blue: 7050, 6850, 6450, 6250, 6050, 5870
Calcite: (5820)
Chalcedony, dyed blue: 6900, 6600, 6270
Chalcedony, dyed green: 7050, 6700, 6450
Chrysoberyl: 5040, 4950, 4850, (4450)
Chrysoprase, dyed: 6320, 4439
Chrysoprase: 4439
Danburite: 5900, 5860, (5845), 5840, 5830, 5820, 5805, 5780, 5760, 5730, 5710
Demantoid: (7100), 6930, (6400), (6220), 4850, 4640, 4430
Diamond, colorless to yellow: (4780), 4650, 4510, 4350, 4230, (4155), 4015, 3900
Diamond, brown to green: 537-, (5040), 4980
Diamond, yellow to brown: 5760, 5690, 5640, 5580, 5500, 5480, 5230, 4935, 4800, 4600
Diamond, artificial color yellow: (5940), 5040, (4980), 4780, 4650, 4510, 4350, 4230, 4155
Diamond, artificial color green: (7410), (5040), (4980), 4650, 4510, 4350, 4230, 4155
Diamond, artificial color brown: (7410), 5940, (5040), (4980), 4780, 4650, 4510, 4350, 4230, 4155
Diopside: (5470), 5080, (5050), (4930), 4560
Chrome diopside: 6700, 6550, 6350, 5080, 5050, 4900
Dioptase: 5700, 5600, 4650-4000
Ekanite: 6651, 6375
Emerald: (6835), (6806), 6620, 6460, (6370), 6060, 5940, (6300-5800)
Emerald, synthetic: 6830, 6805, 6620, 6460, (6375), 6300-5800, 6060, 5940, 4774
Enstatite: (5475), 5090, (5058), 5025, 4830, 4720, 4590, 4490, 4250
Chrome Enstatite: 6880, 6690, 5060
Epidote: 4750, (4550), 4350
Euclase: (7065), (7040), 6950, 6880, 6600, (6500), (6390), 4680, 4550
Fluorite, green: 6400, 6006, (5850), 5700, 5530, 5500, 4520, 4350
Fluorite, yellow: 5450, 5150, 4900, 4700, 4520
Gahnite: (6320), 5920, 5770, 5520, 5080, (4800), (4590), 4430, 4330
Grossular: 6300
Hematite: 7000, 6400, 5950, 5700, 4800, 4500, 4250, 4000
Hessonite: 5470, 4900, 4545, (4350)
Hiddenite: (6905), (6860), 6690, 6460, (6200), (4375), 4330
Hypersthene: 5510, (5475), (5058), 4820, 4485
Idocrase, green: 5300, 4870, (4610)
Iolite: 6450, 5930, 5850, 5350, (4920), (4560), 4360, 4260
Jadeite, green: (6915), 6550, 6300, 4950, 4500, (4375), 4330
Jadeite, artificial green: 6650, 6550, 6450
Kornerupine: 5400, (5080), 4630, (4460), 4300
Kyanite: 7060, 6890, 6710, (4460), 4330
Nephrite: 6890, (5090), 4900, 4600
Obsidian: 6800, 6700, 6600, 6500, 6350, 5950, 5550, 5000
Opal, fire: 7000-6400, 5900-4000
Orthoclase: 4480, 4200
Peridot: 6530, 5530, 5290, (4970), (4950), (4930), (4730), 4530
Petalite: 4540
Pyrope: (6870), (6850), 6710, 6500, (6200-5200), 5050
Quartz, synthetic blue: 6450. 5850, 5400, 5000-4900
Rhodochrosite: 5510, 4545, 4100, 3910, 3830, 3780, 3630
Rhodonite: 5480, 5030, 4550, 4120, 4080
Ruby: (6942), (6928), 6680, 6592, 6100-5000, (4750), (4685)
Sapphire, blue: (4710), (4600), 4550, (4500), 3790
Sapphire, yellow: (4710), (4600), (4500)
Sapphire, green: 4710, 4600-4500
Scheelite: (5840)
Serpentine: 4970, 4640
Sillimanite: 4620, 4410, 4100
Sinhalite: 5260, 4925, 4760, (4630), 4520, 4355
Scapolite, pink: 6630, 6520
Spessartite: 4950, (4845), 4810, 4750, (4620), 4570, 4550, 4400, 4350, 4320, 4240, 4120, 4060, 3940
Sphalerite: 6900, 6650, (6510)
Sphene: 5900, (5860), (5820), 5800, 5750, 5340, 5300, 5280
Spinel, red: (6855), 6840, (6750), (6650), 6560, 6500, 6420, 6320, (5950-4900), 4550
Spinel, blue: (6350), (5850), (5550), 5080, (4780), (4580), 4430, 4330
Spinel, synthetic blue: 6340, 5800, 5440, 4850, 4490
Spinel, synthetic green: 6200, 5800, 5700, 5500, 5400
Taaffeite: 5580, 5530, 4780
Tanzanite: 7100, 6910, (5950), 5280, 4550
Topaz, pink: (6828)
Tremolite: (6840), 6500, 6280
Turquoise: 4600, 4320, 4220
Tourmaline, red: 5550, 5370, 5250-4610, (4560), (4510), 4280
Tourmaline, green: (4970), (4610), 4150
Variscite: 6880, 6500
Willemite: 5830, 5400, 4900, 4425, 4315, (4210)
Zircon, normal: 6910, 6890, 6625, 6605, (6535), 6210, 6150, 5895, 5620, 5375, 5160, 4840, 4600, 4320
Zircon, low: (6530), 5200