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A natural resource refers to materials from the Earth that are used to support life and meet people's needs and wants. The natural substance available for humans use in any form can be considered a natural resource. Materials like ores, coal, crude Oil, natural gas, metals and non- metals, precious stones etc., are some examples of natural resources. Materials like ores, coal, crude Oil, natural gas, metals and non-metals, precious stones etc., are some examples of natural resources. Along with the mentioned materials Animals, birds, trees, fish and plants are also the natural resources available for satisfying human needs and wants. These materials support humans in preparing food, fuel and raw materials for the production of goods for business houses. The food that humans consume primarily comes from various plants and animals. The mainfeature of natural resources is that they dictate the survival of humans and other forms of life on the earth. The Present paper titled "Causes, Effects and Solutions of Depletion of Natural Resources" was majorly focused on Causes for resource depletion, Effects on environment for resource depletion and Solutions of Depletion of Natural Resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: French Polynesia is renowned for the production of Tahitian black pearl. These gems are obtained by grafting a nucleus into the gonad of a receiving oyster together with a graft, i.e. a small section of mantle tissue of a donor oyster. This procedure initiates the formation of a pearl sack around the nucleus, and subsequently, the deposition of concentric layers of nacre. The nucleus plays a key‐role in pearl formation and its characteristics influence markedly the quality of the final product. As it is manufactured from mollusc shells, it contains a small percentage of organics. In the present paper, we used a set of biochemical techniques to characterize and compare the organic matrices from two types of nuclei that are currently used in French Polynesia: that from the freshwater mussel Amblema sp., and that from the pearl oyster Pinctada sp. To this end, we extracted the matrices from nuclei and performed FT‐IR, monodimensional electrophoresis, and enzyme‐linked immuno‐sorbent assay (ELISA). Our data show that the matrix associated with Amblema nuclei has a very different biochemical signature from that of Pinctada nuclei, a fact that may explain the improved tolerance of grafted oysters to nuclei of Pinctada origin. In the absence of complex physical methods of investigation, simple immunological techniques and FT‐IR performed on the extracted organic matrix are extremely reliable and effective for discriminating nuclei from these two sources. We assert that such techniques can be used as a diagnostic test to track unambiguously the biological origin of nuclei to avoid fraud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibri's book is not meant to be an introduction to Peirce nor in any explicit sense a systematic confrontation of Peirce's philosophical project with alternative approaches to its central themes. By Ivo Assad Ibri Semiotics and Pragmatism: Theoretical Interfaces Springer, 2022, xxvii + 341 pp., incl. index In the chapter on "The Heuristic Power of Agapism in Peirce's Philosophy" in his recent book, I Semiotics and Pragmatism: Theoretical Interfaces i , Ivo Ibri points out that access to Peirce's work requires something on the part of the reader that is "not readily available in everyone's spirit: a sense of poetry, an aesthetic sensitivity that will, ultimately, become the sharpest and strongest tool to penetrate the deepest meaning of his philosophy" (116). As to Peirce's categories, Ibri writes: "Understanding them distinctly, within two philosophical realms, namely, the phenomenological and ontological planes, provide a master key to consider the entire system of doctrines that shapes Peirce's philosophy" (268). [Extracted from the article]

This paper explores the interest of Charles IV of Luxembourg (1316–1378), King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, in collecting gemstones, which has hitherto been little studied. It analyses this interest in connection with the fourteenth-century French royal court, and especially with the collecting activities of Charles V of Valois (1338–1380), King of France. Both of these sovereigns had an interest in ancient gems and they used them in the same manner; their practices prove to have been inspired by the reinvented traditions of the saintly Capetian monarch Louis IX, King of France, and of the ancient Roman Empire. This study shows how Charles of Luxembourg and Charles of Valois sought out and used precious and semi-precious stones as instruments of their royal self-images and claims to power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Espanola de Antropologia Americana is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Some of the poorest people in the world's poorest countries eke out a living in artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). Equipped with primitive tools like picks, shovels, buckets, and gold pans, they work mining valuable resources, like gold, diamonds, tin, lithium, rare earth elements, tantalum, and cobalt, and any other usable commodity, for example, sand, coal, or mica. The mining and refining processes are labor intensive and associated with a variety of health problems due to accidents, overheating, overexertion, dust inhalation, exposure to toxic chemicals and gases, violence, and illicit and prescription drug and alcohol addiction. Evident disadvantages with ASM are counterbalanced by the immense economic benefits. For many, the true scope and scale of ASM activities are unappreciated, along with the unknown health and societal impacts. Here, we set out to elucidate the scope of ASM beyond the recovery of familiar commodities, such as gold and diamonds. We adopt a holistic perspective toward health impacts of ASM, which includes unique occupational, environmental, and human/social drivers. A particular focus is poverty as a health risk with artisanal miners. They are commonly poverty‐stricken people in poor countries, ensnared by a variety of poverty traps, which take a toll on the health and well‐being of individuals and communities. ASM sometimes provides an opportunity to diversify income in the face of a decline in subsistence agriculture. However, ASM often trades one kind of generational poverty for another, coming along with serious health risks and turmoil associated with work in an informal "cash‐rich" business. Plain Language Summary: Many of the world's most valuable commodities, for example, gold, diamonds, and strategic metals, and less valuable resources, for example, sand, clay, and coal, are the products of artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). The miners are commonly poor people with rudimentary tools, like shovels, buckets, and pans subsisting by working shallow ore deposits. Although an inefficient mining method, the large numbers of people can contribute substantially to a country's total production. Much of this mining occurs in distant, lawless areas like the Amazon River basin or the outback in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The work is grueling and dangerous because of violence and unregulated work sites. Miners suffer from the expected collection of occupational health risks, due to, for example, accidents, chemical exposures, dust inhalation, and lifting and lugging of heavy loads. Mining communities are at risk from incidental exposures to mercury, mosquito‐borne diseases, poor sanitation, and more. Human and social problems also impact health. Our paper emphasizes poverty as a risk factor for disease, as miners are caught in poverty traps—unable to leave. Injuries and disease often must remain untreated because of costs and absent clinics. Key Points: Artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) is primitive with health problems determined by occupational, environmental, and social settingsASM involves 80 + countries and valuable resources, like gold, diamonds, precious stones, tantalum, tin, tungsten, and commoditiesGrueling work, poverty, illegalities, and worksites located in remote and medically underserved areas contribute to poor health [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Ancient World illness was thought to be the effect not of accidental or natural causes, but rather the result of a negative agency, an external attack on the victim’s body. This paper focuses on the diverse strategies used in healing magic attested in the material and textual records from the ancient Near East to Late Antiquity, with special attention paid to how the cultural status of objects and substances was changed through ritual, a process that, along with the invocations of demons and gods, allowed objects to acquire agency to counterattack the harm inflicted on the victim’s body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extremely rare, long-lost, monotypic endemic, Indian liverwort, Sewardiella tuberifera Kash. has recently been recollected after a gap of over three-and-a-half decades from an altogether new location, the Mukteshwar region (2,171 m) of Nainital district in the Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand. The remarkable rediscovery of this monotypic, endemic Himalayan liverwort is a significant finding for the world's bryological treasure. Along with other rare Himalayan monotypic endemics such as Aitchisoniella himalayensis Kash. and Stephensoniella brevipedunculata Kash., the currently located sporiferous population of Sewardiella was discovered persisting in small, dispersed, sparse patches with 5-30 individuals. The currently spotted collection site is being considered a 'bryological hotspot'. As the area develops as a popular ecotourism destination, the original habitat of these hepatics in a lime stone-dominated, south-west facing, unstable sloppy site at Mukteshwar is under constant pressure from several developmental activities. Hence, serious conservation steps are needed to protect this hotspot supporting Himalayan bryophyte jewels. To ensure long term perpetuation and conservation of redlisted hepatic taxa, an attempt is being made to translocate part of the population to ecologically and climatically identical safer site, including a developing 'moss garden' at Lingadhar (Nainital). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodalite‐group minerals are silicates belonging to the zeolite group hosting in their cages a variety of cations and anions. Four mineral species of the sodalite‐group are known in nature, the main difference being connected to the identity of the chemical species in the cages, particularly the sulfur molecular arrangements. Notably, the sodalite‐group minerals show different colours; lazurite, in particular, is the main constituent of the well‐known lapis lazuli, a material used throughout the human history as a precious stone or as a blue pigment for artworks. In this paper, we exploit Raman and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to highlight an existing connection between the chalcogen species entrapped within the samples originated from the volcanic region of Latium (Italy) and their final colour. We show that Raman spectroscopy is a very valuable tool in characterizing the extraframework content in these minerals. Further, our analysis demonstrates how the blue hue of the sodalite species is related to the S3−/SO42− relative content. We finally show how most specimen are also rich in CO2, a feature addressed by combination with FTIR spectroscopy. These findings have a particular interest not only in geology, but also in Cultural Heritage studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the natural colors and techniques of Korean traditional Dancheong, the image from splendor and magnificence is used as a jewel in making ornaments by subjective interpretation of the researcher. The purpose of this paper is to propose the possibility of using as a jewelry design by combining the possibilities of various color expressions, the combination of solidity and luster synthetic resin by utilizing natural pigments and mono images used in Korean traditional monophonic. In this study, this study presented the possibility of accessing in the life of a modern person pursuing a lifestyle by introducing a mono image into jewelry design, and at the same time, approaching ornaments by using traditional materials of the past, modern materials, and digital production methods. We are looking for a wide variety of jewelry designs to be utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A B FLUORITE FOCUS: b It was a pleasure to plan and put together this issue with its several articles featuring I fluorite, i Denver's show theme (Denver dates are 18-20 September). PHOTO (COLOR) PHOTO (COLOR): Two watercolor paintings on hot press paper of fluorite specimens from the United Kingdom, by Ksenia Levterova. See the In Memoriam column in the May/June 2019 issue for a tribute to Via, and the Museum Notes column in this issue for further details on the museum. [Extracted from the article]

The Peleș National Museum in Sinaia, Romania, includes within its collection of musical instruments a unique harpsichord of the Taskin workshop. The instrument is representative of the eighteenth century French harpsichords, finished in 1772 by Taskin Pascal, a master instrument-maker of his time. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive diagnostic investigation carried out on the exterior decoration of the harpsichord, by means of multiple non-invasive and micro-invasive analytical techniques: multispectral imaging, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and optical microscopy (OM). Imaging investigation highlighted various past interventions and restorations—fillings, consolidation and chromatic reintegration of the paint layer, as well as some interesting details related to the preparatory layer and on the painting technique. Results of the elemental analysis indicated that a rich color palette was used for the luxurious decorations: vermilion for most of the red areas, lead white, a copper-based pigment for the blue and violet hues, along with Prussian blue, chromium oxides for the green tones and possibly emerald green, and iron oxides for the red, yellow and ochre tones. FTIR analysis highlighted the existence of two-layers ground based on the first layer of chalk and animal glue, covered by a second oil-bound layer of lead white. Metal soaps, gypsum, barium sulfate as well as an intermediate sizing layer based on shellac were also identified. Examination of samples' cross-sections revealed a rich stratigraphy, up to ten layers being highlighted for samples taken from the case sides' painting. The presence of two gold foils on the gilded areas, one at the top and the other within the intermediate layers, provides clear evidence of later interventions. The corroborated results offer valuable physico-chemical insights on the complex history of this prestigious harpsichord with remarkable aesthetic and historical value, as well as key information for its most suitable restoration approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B GOING GREEN: b I Rocks & Minerals i has inadvertently jumped on the "green" bandwagon with this issue. During his nearly fifty years of collecting and studying minerals, Dunning has written or coauthored fifty papers pertaining to mineralogical subjects, eight of which involved descriptions of new minerals. PHOTO (COLOR): Gail E. Dunning, recipient of the 2019 Pinch Medal, shown with photos of his namesake mineral, gaildunningite. [Extracted from the article]

Alexandrites are remarkable and rare gemstones. They display an extraordinary colour change according to the ambient lighting, from emerald green in daylight to ruby red in incandescent light from tungsten lamps or candles. While this colour change has been correctly attributed to chromium impurities and their absorption band in the yellow region of the visible light spectrum, no adequate explanation of the mechanism has been given. Here, the alexandrite effect is fully explained by considering the von Kries model of the human colour constancy mechanism. This implies that our colour constancy mechanism is real (objective) and primarily attuned to correct for the colour temperature of black-body illuminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the inception of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995, member countries have been heavily relying on the organisation's Dispute Settlement System (DSS). Exploiting a new database on WTO litigations between 1995 and 2014, this paper describes disputes initiated over this period and identifies potential sources of bias concerning the participation of developing countries. The analysis builds on three different models to determine country i's probability of initiating a dispute against country j. Either it depends on the two countries' structure of trade (the rules-based model), or it is also affected by country i's or country j's specific characteristics (the unilateral power-based model), or it is also affected by bilateral economic and trade relations between countries i and j (the bilateral power-based model). We find that country i's structure of trade with j plays an important role in explaining the probability that i initiates a dispute against j under the DSS. We also find clear evidence with regard to the importance of two independent variables: first the legal capacity of i (a variable related to the unilateral power-based model) and second the trade retaliatory capacity of i against j (a variable related to the bilateral power-based). Almost all these results hold when testing for both the likelihood of initiating a dispute and for the number of disputes initiated before the WTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the symbolism of jewels, particularly the One Ring, in J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction in the light of observable parallels with the anonymous Middle English dream-vision poem, Pearl. The theme of the perils of craft is traced in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, in which the excessive preoccupation with works of smithcraft is shown to corrupt individuals, preventing them from enjoyment and appreciation of works of creation and leading to the degeneration of whole communities. It is argued that Tolkien may be indebted for his treatment of jewels to the Pearl poet. More broadly, the influence of Pearl on Tolkien, the extent and depth of which only begins to be understood in criticism, is demonstrated in the field of style, vocabulary, imagery, and ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of BSAA Arte is the property of Universidad de Valladolid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Lectora: Revista de Dones i Textualitat is the property of Lectora: Revista de Dones i Textualitat and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Librosdelacorte.es is the property of Instituto Universitario "La Corte en Europa" - IULCE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The English-language nomenclature that is used to designate belly dance movement is a vital site for the expression of ideas, fantasies, and fears about the Middle East and North Africa, the homelands of this dance genre. Belly dance has no classical tradition or named set of standardised movements in its cultures of origin, so, as the dance form has become globalised, English speakers have invented their own movement names to conform to a Western dance pedagogical tradition that relies on nomenclature. Based on a survey of 154 Canadian dancers, this paper analyses the forms these coinages have taken and assesses how movement terminology has changed since the rise of studio belly dance instruction in North America in the 1970s. The 'camels', 'temples', and 'jewels' of early nomenclature are giving way to terminology that instead incorporates personal names, particularly the names of Middle Eastern and North African dancers, and auditory imagery. These terminological shifts challenge dominant Orientalist discourses that portray Middle Eastern and North African cultures as static, monolithic, and fantastical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oriental representations of Muslims are often manifested in a society's media, literature, theatre and other creative means of expression. However, these representations, which are often historically and conceptually one-sided, have adverse repercussions for Muslims today, potentially leading to Islamophobia. Orientalism of Muslims in Western writings and discourses have been much discussed, debated and disproved, yet some works of literature continue to disseminate many of the earlier Oriental assertions about Islam/Muslims: that of being terrorists, misogynists, barbaric or uncivilized compared to the civilized West. Sherry Jones' The Jewel of Medina (2008) chronicles the history of Islam from the time of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, through the voice of his youngest wife Aisha. This paper argues that there is more to the image of the Muslim than what is portrayed by Western writers. Through an "(un)reading" of Sherry Jones' text, this paper unravels the misconceptions regarding early and forced marriage with a view to address the ways in which these misconceptions could lead to Islamophobia. Using Edward Said's theory of Contrapuntal reading, which urges the colonized to unread Western canonical texts to unearth the submerged details, this paper identifies and puts to question non-conforming depictions of Muslims in Sherry Jones' The Jewel of Medina (2008) - while placing the text in its historical space - in an effort to mitigate the growing stereotyping of Muslims and to address misconceptions with regard to Islamic history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critically reviewing historiographical approaches that analyzed Kepler's astrology in terms of a clash between nature and culture, she suggests playfulness instead as a key to understanding Kepler's astrological pursuits. The last essay in this rich collection by William Blair sets Kepler's treatise of the "New Star" in the context of modern astronomy and the ways current telescopic observation reveals the secrets of "Kepler's supernova remnant." This collection of essays successfully places Kepler's treatise I De stella nova i in various intellectual contexts and clarifies its central role in shaping early modern astronomy. [Extracted from the article]

The crystals are beautiful and useful, and the structure is harmonious and orderly. Photoelectric functional crystal can realize the interconversion of optical and electric energy, and occupy an important position in the high-tech fields of microelectronics, optoelectronics, communications, aerospace and modern military technology. People' s understanding of crystals is derived from natural minerals. From the discovery of mineral crystals to the artificial growth and application of photoelectric functional crystals, great progress has been made in crystal types, crystal quality, growth theory, growth technology and application. The development process from mineral gem to crystallography is briefly described, the development process of several kinds of photoelectric functional crystals such as piezoelectric crystal, electro-optic crystal, laser crystal, nonlinear optical crystal and scintillation crystal is introduced, and research progress on crystal growth is summarized in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordierite is a violet-blue gem mineral primarily composed of magnesium aluminum silicate. This study employed three samples of Mg-cordierite and conducted tests on their gemological characteristics, spectroscopic features, and chemical composition using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electron microprobe. The study also explored and analyzed the polychroism and coloration mechanisms of the samples. The results indicate that the lattice vibrations of the Mg-cordierite samples differ along the directions parallel to the a, b, and c crystallographic axes, leading to certain variations in spectral characteristics among these directions. The article provides experimental evidence for the reasons for the polychroism of cordierite in different crystal axes, which is of great significance in the quality evaluation of cordierite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral features are one of the most important factors affecting the classification performance of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). In order to improve the classification accuracy of portable LIBS, the spectral morphological feature that includes kurtosis and skewness features of the spectral profile was discovered, its utilization method – the polynomial interactive reconstruction (PIC) method – was proposed in this study. A classification experiment of 24 kinds of gem minerals was carried out; the classification accuracies of the conventional spectral intensity method and whole spectrum (WS) method for the samples were only 82.9% and 81.6%, respectively, which improved to 93.9% using the proposed PIC method. Furthermore, the accuracy was also significantly higher than that of other single original features. Due to the high price of samples and their insufficient supply, the generality of the experiment may need further experimental verification. But the experimental results can still show that the proposed feature mining and reconstruction method can significantly improve the classification performance in portable LIBS at least for the present application. This study proves the potential of combining spectral analysis and feature engineering technology to enhance the performance of LIBS qualitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corundum crystals of semi-gem quality (sapphire) formed in a syenitic dyke around the plutonic rocks in the Alvand igneous-metamorphic complex were studied by Sheikhi Gheshlaghi et al. (2020). These authors studied field relations and petrography of a corundum-bearing pegmatite, and proposed a genetic model for corundum formation. Although studies on whole rock chemistry of corundum-bearing pegmatites and oxygen isotope data for corundum by these authors are valuable, some of their reports and findings – such as the sharp contact between corundum-bearing pegmatite and Alvand syenite, the lack of tourmaline group minerals in corundum-bearing pegmatite, the presence of syngeneic quartz inclusion in corundum and the genesis of corundum as a result of kyanite break down – are in contrast with our own observations and findings. Neither the P-T conditions, nor the volatile-bearing minerals present, are in favour of formation of corundum from kyanite breakdown. Based on present authors' studies, mineral chemistry of corundum in the Alvand area clearly indicates magmatic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mycenaean adjective wo-ra-we-sa refers to a chariot, but its meaning is not readily inferable form the context and its etymology is still disputed. The present paper examines the different hypotheses brought forward to explain wo-ra, of which wo-ra-we-sa is a derivative in *-u̯ent-, and it offers a new solution for its etymology. It argues that wo-ra is a feminine ā -stem action noun meaning “the twisted, braided, or plaited thing” which goes back either to *u̯ol(h1)-eh2- or to *u̯ṓ l(h1)-eh2-, from the root *u̯el(h1)- ‘to turn, wallow, roll’. Formally and semantically wo-ra may be shown to share the same root as alphabetic Greek εὐλή ‘maggot, caterpillar’ and Homeric εὔληρα ‘reins’ (Il. 23.481), being either a feminine action noun in the o-grade (/wolā /) built directly to the verbal root *u̯el(h1)- or a lengthened ō -grade (/wō lā /). Crucially, the ideogram *253 which follows [wo-]ra and wo-ra-e looks like a bosal, a type of noseband which is part of a bridle without bit. That being so, wo-ra-we-sa /wō̆lā wessa/ would mean ‘provided or fitted with a (braided or laced) bridle’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent archaeological investigations conducted in the tributaries of the Middle Mahanadi Valley region of Odisha have brought to light evidence for large-scale bead manufacturing workshop sites, i.e. Badmal Asurgarh and Bhutiapali belonging to the Early Historic period. Most interestingly, while the Badmal site is a fortified settlement, the latter site is an extensive open-air bead workshop site. Significantly, both the sites brought to light evidence for gemstone bead manufacturing activities during the Early Historic period. Preliminary studies and limited excavations conducted at both the sites appear to suggest their significant role in the Early Historic trade and exchange network in the Middle Mahanadi Valley riparian system and probably beyond. The present paper outlines the results of our preliminary archaeological investigation conducted at both the nature of sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Gemstones and (re)production of the tainted image of post-conflict locations. • Gemstone origin as a major value determinant. • Swat emerald and post-conflict development opportunities and place promotion. • Preventing future conflicts in Swat through fostering economic resilience. Abstract This paper critically examines the social dynamics of emerald mining in the Swat Valley and its impact on the broader gemstone processing sector in Pakistan. In particular, it pays attention to problematizing the existing structure of artisanal, small-scale emerald mining, and its fragmented supply chain that grapples with a branding stigma of gem origin. It also considers an export-led beneficiation industry within Swat to generate sustainable livelihoods and help prevent future conflicts through fostering economic resilience. The paper emerges with inferences that while the literature on colored gemstones is increasingly critical of fragmented supply chains, it should also consider the role that gemstones can play, as a constitutive and representational force, toward (re)production and (re)engineering of the "tainted" image of post-conflict locations. This is particularly the case because gemstone origin is a major factor in value determination. Areas of conflict that have previously caused negative branding of gemstones can later be transformed into post-conflict development opportunities and lead to positive branding. Approaches for pursuing such a strategy are explored in the context of Pakistan's emerald industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic historians have shown that the regulations of craft guilds were a source of innovation rather than inertia in the economy of early modern Europe. Historians of science have shown that craftsmen contributed to the scientific revolution in the same time and place. But very little is known about the role of guild regulation in intellectual (as opposed to social, political and economic) change. This paper shows that regulation went hand-in-hand with intellectual change at the Paris guild of goldsmiths in the decades around 1700. In this period the wardens of the guild developed sophisticated techniques for organizing and disseminating their large archive of legal documents. They also published two books on the natural history of precious stones that broke with the learned tradition of writing on this topic. The reform of the archive and the reform of natural history were undertaken by the same goldsmiths, for similar reasons, using analogous literary techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, most of the popular spinels in the jewellery market come from Myanmar and Tajikistan. It is well known that provenance is one of the main factors affecting the value of a gemstone, and the geographic origin of a gemstone can be determined by examining its gemological and inclusion characteristics. This study systematically characterized the conventional gemology of spinels from Myanmar and Tajikistan and compared the inclusions in the spinels from these two countries by means of gemological microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that most red and pink Myanmarese spinels were octahedral or contact twins, while Tajikistani spinels are slabbed or octahedral distorted crystals. Columnar zircon is frequently found in Tajikistani spinels but rare in Myanmarese spinels, appearing as tiny accessory inclusions. There are three types of carbonate inclusions (magnesite, dolomite, and calcite) in Myanmarese spinels, but Tajikistani spinels have only one (magnesite). In addition, spinels of different origins include special inclusions. Myanmarese spinels contain pyrite inclusions; Tajikistani spinels contain rutile and talc inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at presenting the results of pull-off strength tests of fiber-reinforced polymer composite coatings laminated on steel substrates. It contains the measured data on the thickness of manufactured coatings and the substrate surface’s roughness, according to the various methods of surface’s preparation with the means of abrasive blasting. The microstructure analysis of material’s cross-sections and damage analysis of samples after failure were also performed. The highest pull-off strength’s values for composite coatings were obtained for joints with the substrate modified by abrasive blasting with corundum F60 or simply degreased. To establish the compatibility of substrates with coatings the wettability of the chosen materials was tested and work of adhesion was calculated on its base. Concerning the wettability, it was found that the most preferable joints were characterized by the similar thermodynamic work of adhesion and consisted of the coating’s matrix (SBS) and the steel substrate degreased with acetone or modified with corrundum abrasive blasting and then degreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 34 intaglios and cameos discussed in this paper are part of a collection of 136 gems (both Roman and Modern) we studied in 2002, with permission of the former Museum director, Mónica Baldaque, and the curator Fátima Macedo. Some of those gems are set in rings (no. 10 - Roman iron ring; no. 22 - medieval gold ring; no. 31 - modern gold ring; also 3 ceramic cameos depicting the Portuguese Queen Maria I - modern silver rings: inv. nos 74 CMP; 75 CMP and 174 MNSR) and 2 others in snuff boxes (1 ivory cameo and 1 Wedgwood cameo - inv. nos 37 MNSR and 31 MNSR, respectively). Besides them, the museum also holds a collection of 800 plaster seals. Among the types of these Roman gems, some deserve special attention: Marsyas (no. 6) - the only gem in the Portuguese Gem Corpus bearing this theme, as well as those of Athena Promachos (no. 7), Isis-Selene bust (no. 9), Socrates (no. 11), Diogenes (no. 14), eagle fighting a serpent (no. 17), shrimp and murex (no. 19), mouse (23) and confronted doves (no. 25). This last one, with its associated inscription, perhaps symbolizes the union of a couple by the bonds of matrimony. However, how did the scarab bearing a Centaur (no. 28) reach Portugal? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a detailed history and exegesis of the 1798 paper of Charles Greville and Jacques-Louis Count de Bournon, “On the Corundum Stone from Asia.” This was the first published argument to establish that the mineral corundum was related to, or identical with, the ruby and the sapphire. It was also the first time that the science of crystallography, recently developed in France, was publically introduced to a British scientific audience. René Just Haüy’s theory of the three-dimensional structure of minerals proposed a new kind of extension of chemistry into the solid state. The story of corundum illustrates the new and sophisticated mineralogy that had emerged in the late eighteenth century and how an increasingly global natural history relied upon extended networks of trade and empire. It shows also how mineralogical debates had begun to move beyond the private and restricted milieux of mining schools and wealthy collectors and into more public scientific fora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnically diverse high-altitude region of Gilgit-Baltistan, with its complex political history, remains relatively free from the controlling gaze of the central state apparatus of Pakistan. In these extraordinary terrain, where local communities rule the region as the “State by proxy”, informal gemstone mining provides an important supplement to livelihoods. This paper shows that gemstone mining in Gilgit-Baltistan is characterised by customary rules and regulations that are based on collective responsibility, and members follow customary authorities because they are not external to the community. It argues that the very idea of centralised “governance” of mineral resources, used widely in contexts of resource extraction as the panacea, needs to be reconsidered when dealing with the particularities of the context. It draws on the concept of ungovernability to underline the fact that sometimes it may simply be impossible to administer informal mining in the conventional sense of the term. It suggests in conclusion that informal mining, which has a long history in Pakistan and has played an increasing role as a source of rural employment and revenue, needs to be accommodated within the legal framework of mining. More importantly, to govern informal mining of gemstones, the first task would be to consider how things are currently done, understanding and respecting customary laws, and build upon them to incorporate their elements into systems that acknowledge community rights and a more equitable sharing of benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ksenia Levterova (b. 1986), Ukraine; her art was published in the July/August 2020 issue of Rocks & Minerals, pages 372-374. Fred Wilda (b. 1941), United States; his art was published in the March/April 2002 issue of Rocks & Minerals, pages 124-125. Tama Higuchi (b. 1999), United States; her art was published in the May/June 2021 issue of Rocks & Minerals, pages 248-250. [Extracted from the article]

Within crystallization theory, two interesting PL invariants for d-manifolds have been introduced and studied, namely, gem-complexity and regular genus. In the present paper we prove that for any closed connected PL 4-manifold M, its gem-complexity k(M) and its regular genus G(M) satisfy k(M) ≥ 3X(M) + 10m - 6 and G(M) ≥ 2x(M) + 5m - 4, where rk(π1(M)) = m. These lower bounds enable to strictly improve previously known estimations for regular genus and gem-complexity of product 4-manifolds. Moreover, the class of semi-simple crystallizations is introduced, so that the represented PL 4-manifolds attain the above lower bounds. The additivity of both gem-complexity and regular genus with respect to connected sum is also proved for such a class of PL 4-manifolds, which comprehends all ones of "standard type", involved in existing crystallization catalogs, and their connected sums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the determinants and valuations of children’s work and schooling choices drawing on primary mixed-methods research in the gemstone polishing industry of Jaipur, India. In addition to economic and demographic factors, the gendered expectations of children’s futures shapes their work and schooling outcomes. For boys, work is additionally driven by the need to acquire training for future employment and wages, and simultaneously complements, and competes with formal schooling. They can work at workshops, acquire higher skills, and can aspire to become skilled craftsmen whereas girls work at home on low-skill activities mainly to supplement household income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Ruby is a mineral in the corundum (Al 2 O 3) family and it is remarkably valuable as a gemstone. From the physics point of view, the ruby coloration depends on the balance of trace or chromophore impurities and defect complexes in the Al 2 O 3 lattice. Shifting this balance into right direction is of paramount importance for the ruby value as the gemstone and ion implantation can be applied for this purpose. Thus, in the present study, we explored the influence of high dose oxygen ion implants on the natural ruby coloration. By performing quantitative colorimetry analysis, we detected prominent coloration changes unambiguously attributed to the effect of the implants, even though the implanted oxygen profile was located at the near surface region of the sample. Moreover, applying near surface sensitive cathodoluminescence measurements we observed spectacular changes in the spectra correlated with the implants. Importantly, the trends observed in the colorimetry and cathodoluminescence as a function of the implantation parameters were consistent. As such, the present paper provides both the scientific perspective and quantitative interpretations potentially paving the way for the ion beams applications in the gemstone industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the release of new mineral proposals approved by the IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification (CNMNC), detailing their chemical compositions, structures, and type localities. It highlights the approval of several new minerals, including rundqvistite-(Ce), tantalaeschynite-(Ce), karlleuite, yamhamelachite, and others, each with unique characteristics and type localities across various regions of the world.

The global demand for jewellery and precious stones has contributed to the recent growth in gemstone mining and its industry. While this trend is expected to soar in the coming years, a proper assessment of the environmental effects of gemstone mining is required to prevent further ecosystem degradation. This study assessed the impact of mining on the soil and water at the Ofiki gemstone mining site in southwestern Nigeria. Soil and water samples were collected from the mining site and the adjoining undisturbed areas. The physicochemical properties of the samples were analysed using standard procedures, and the results were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other standard threshold limits. The results indicated that mining at the site caused a substantial loss of soil organic matter, nitrogen and potassium necessary for plant growth. Furthermore, the soil around the mining site was highly acidic, with low macronutrient concentrations in and around the site. Additionally, surface water at the mining site was highly acidic, with phosphate and iron concentrations exceeding WHO permissible limits. However, other physicochemical properties of the water samples in and around the mining site were within WHO permissible limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]