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Al-rich diopside in alluvial ruby and corundum-bearing xenoliths, Australian and SE Asian basalt fields

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

F. L. Sutherland ,
R. R. Coenraads ,
D. Schwarz ,
L. R. Raynor ,
B. J. Barron  and
G. B. Webb
F. L. Sutherland*
Affiliation:
Mineralogy, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
R. R. Coenraads
Affiliation:
Cluff Resources Pacific NL, Locked Bag 3355, Hornsby, NSW 2077, Australia
D. Schwarz
Affiliation:
Gübelin Gem Lab, Maihofstrasse 102, CH 600, Lucerne 9, Switzerland
L. R. Raynor
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
B. J. Barron
Affiliation:
7 Fairview Avenue, St Ives, Sydney, NSW 2075, Australia
G. B. Webb
Affiliation:
Mineralogy, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
*
* E-mail: lins@austmus.gov.au
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Abstract

Alluvial rubies and sapphires are found in palaeodrainage deposits along the Cudgegong-Macquarie River system, central eastern New South Wales, Australia. A pink to red suite contains Cr (up to 0.6 wt.% Cr2O3) as the main chromophore, exceeding Fe (up to 0.5 wt.%Fe2O3). Corrosive etching suggests a prior xenocrystic Mesozoic-Cenozoic basaltic transport, while Cr2O3/Ga2O3 to Fe2O3/TiO2 ratios indicate an original metamorphic source. Syngenetic mineral inclusions include Al-rich diopside, meionite and anatase. The Al-rich diopside (‘fassaite’) contains extremely high Al2O3 (20–21 wt.%). A blue-green suite contains Fe (up to 0.8 wt.% Fe2O3) as a dominant chromophore, while a rare nepheline-anorthoclase composite inclusion supports a magmatic phonolitic origin. The Cudgegong- Macquarie ruby formation is compared with a garnet granulite origin proposed for Thailand rubies and a xenolith of corundum-bearing garnet granulite from Ruby Hill, Bingara, Australia. Clinopyroxenecorundum thermometry suggests the Cudgegong-Macquarie rubies formed at T >1000–1300ºC, a high equilibration T for proposed lithospheric granulites. These rubies form a distinctive suite compared to other rubies from Australian and SE Asian basalt fields, but have some similarities with eastern Thailand rubies.

Keywords

corundumrubysapphirediopsidealluvialxenocryst, granulitebasalt fieldAustraliaSE Asia.
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 67 , Issue 4 , August 2003 , pp. 717 - 732
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2003

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Footnotes

†

Deceased

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