Abstract
A variety of gemstones is being mined in the Shigar valley, Skardu, Pakistan. These include beryl (goshenite and aquamarine), tourmaline (schorl), garnet (almandine–spessartine), apatite, topaz, fluorite, zoisite, clinozoisite, and axinite, mostly occurring in complex or zoned pegmatites and metamorphic rocks. These have been analyzed using electron probe micro-analyzer and X-ray diffractometer. The mineral chemistry of each gemstone is similar to its respective typical gemstone variety with homogenous chemical composition. Field and chemical characteristics suggest that beryl, tourmaline, garnet, apatite, topaz, and fluorite are occurring in zoned pegmatites which are largely formed by magmatic hydrothermal fluids in the cavities and vugs within the intermediate zone. However, zoisite, clinozoisite, and axinite may have a metamorphic and/or metasomatic origin.
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Acknowledgments
All the authors say thanks to Director NCE in Geology, University of Peshawar for the financial support during field and laboratory work. The first author says special thanks to the administration of the University of Sindh, Jamshoro for granting the study leave for Ph.D., and we also extend our thanks to the Department of Geosciences, Naruto University of Education, Japan for availing their analytical facilities. Mr. Mohammad (driver) is highly thanked for nicely driving in such a hard mountainous terrain during field.
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Agheem, M.H., Shah, M.T., Khan, T. et al. Shigar valley gemstones, their chemical composition and origin, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 7, 3801–3814 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-1045-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-1045-8