Spinel Inclusions
Explore spinel inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural spinel, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
Ghost planes light up like a multicolored rain storm when viewed between crossed polars in this cobalt blue spinel from Tanzania.
Natural Spinel •
Tanzania •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-1078-1
• Field of View = 3mm
A carbonate crystal, identified with micro Raman, is suspended in this spinel from Mahenge, Tanzania. Note the streams of small, dust-like particles which are typical of the Mahenge material.
Natural Spinel •
Tanzania; Mahenge •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0196-2
• Field of View = 3mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
The bright, glassy discoid depicted here provides evidence that its spinel host was heated. Raman spectroscopy confirmed this suspicion.
Natural Spinel •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0696-1
• Field of View = 3mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Fine needles and particles intersect in a cobalt blue spinel from Sri Lanka.
Natural Spinel •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0806-1
• Field of View = 2.5mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Diopside crystals (identified with Raman) in this spinel display interference colors when viewed between crossed polars.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0587-1
• Field of View = 4mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
This lavender-colored spinel from Vietnam’s Yen Bai area contained a thin transparent birefringent crystal. The crystal contained several included crystals of its own, as demonstrated by viewing it between crossed polars.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0056-3
• Field of View = 3mm
This spinel contained a few transparent, doubly refractive crystal inclusions. We analyzed the one pictured with micro Raman, and found that the larger crystal is apatite, while the small rounded crystals attached on the left of the apatite crystal are baddeleyite.
Natural Spinel •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-9866-1
• Field of View = 2.5mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
This Mahenge spinel displays fingerprints in the form of tiny octahedra that are arranged in straight, orderly rows.
Natural Spinel •
Tanzania; Mahenge •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-9775-2
• Field of View = 2mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
This web-like fingerprint creates a striking pattern in its spinel host.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-9184-1
• Field of View = 5mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Stellate dislocations criss-cross the interior of this cobalt blue spinel.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-8193-2
• Field of View = 1.5mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
A small crystal is surrounded by fine dislocation needles in this spinel. This type of feature is common in spinel from Vietnam.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-8972-1
• Field of View = 3mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
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Spinel inclusions may include mineral crystals, healed fissures, fluid inclusions, negative crystals, growth features and other internal features formed during or after crystal growth. Such features are important to gemologists because they can provide evidence useful in identifying spinel, understanding its geological history, recognizing treatment and, in some cases, determining geographic origin.
Spinel Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion spinel gallery includes microscopic features found in spinels from major deposits around the world. Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Spinel
Inclusions are an important part of spinel identification. Their form, composition and alteration can help gemologists distinguish natural spinel from synthetic material, recognize evidence of treatment, and study the geological environment in which the spinel formed.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from known spinel deposits.
About Hyperion
Hyperion is the Lotus Gemology searchable inclusion database. It allows users to browse gemstone inclusions by gem type, geographic origin, treatment and keyword.
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