A comprehensive publication about Western Australian gemstones was today launched by Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore.
Written for the experienced fossickers, amateur rockhounds, professional geologists and gemmologist alike, Gemstones of Western Australia is the first substantial published work on Western Australian gemstones.
“This is a comprehensive resource on gemstones and decorative stones used in jewellery and ornamental sculpture in WA. It outlines geographic locations of known deposits which will assist fossickers searching for gemstones throughout the State,” Moore said.
“The book combines geology and gemmology to provide factual information and each chapter has detailed mineralogical information as well as their geological setting and location.
Produced by the Geological Survey of WA (GSWA) in collaboration with the WA division of the Gemmological Association of Australia the book focuses on gems like beryl, topaz, tourmaline, gem-quality quartz and associated siliceous minerals.
“This publication is a much-expanded update of a series of booklets entitled Gemstones in Western Australia produced by GSWA between 1975 and 1994, and includes abundant references to earlier work.”
Moore said that while Western Australia has a growing international reputation as a major source for rare coloured diamonds, including the highly sort after pink diamond, far less was known about occurrences of other gems.
The book also looks at other materials peculiar to WA, such as zebra stone, orbicular granite and mookaite, along with pearls, fossil wood and precious metals.