Silicates: euclase

Diagnostic Card.

Al Be OH SiO ₄
Crystal system monoclinic
7.5 Hardness
The proportion of 3-3.1
Cleavage is perfect
fracture conchoidal
Colour colorless, sky blue
Color white powder
Gloss glass

Euclase - a rare gemstone. A very perfect cleavage makes it difficult to process. Attractive soft blue color and bright luster glass euclase. Formed in pegmatites, it is also found in placers. The most famous of his field - in the region of Ouro Preto (Brazil). It is found in India, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, the CIS (the Urals), Zaire. It can be confused with aquamarine, giddenitom.

It crystallizes in the form of elongated prismatic crystals, often present on the faces of a thin hatching. For mineral typical light sky-blue color. Relatively widespread and colorless euclase; quite rare yellow or greenish-yellow and very exceptionally with a tendency to blue. Gloss glass, sometimes on the surface of the cleavage mother of pearl; conchoidal fracture normally.

Basically euclase crystals adorn the collections of mineralogical museums. Euclase first was described in 1702 by J. R. Haüy. As impurities observed Ge, Mn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Sn, Zn, Ti, Y, Yb, B. euclase crystallizes in the monoclinic system, prismatic symmetry class. In nature euclase occurs in the form of plate-prismatic, plate, short- and dlinnoprizmaticheskih crystals with a large number of faces. Number of simple forms known to euclase crystals is very large. On the faces of the prism can be observed hatching. There are doubles, where twinning planes are (010) and (041), Druze, brushes, sockets, and sheaf-like hemispherical formation radiating structure.

Transparent crystals euclase may be colorless or blue, blue, bluish, yellowish and bluish-green. The bluish-green color due to the presence of the mineral impurity ions Cr3 +. Pleochroism in blue-green and yellow-blue colors, from weak to strong is different for the individual fields. In some crystals observed zonal uneven coloration with colorless or yellowish and dark-colored areas. Zoning is also possible in spherulites and sheaf-like aggregates, which are on the periphery are sometimes painted in bright blue, and the center is almost colorless. The ultraviolet rays are not luminescent. When friction is electrified.

Diagnostic features.
With difficulty melts; It defies acids. Euclase belongs to the less common minerals. Strong luster, beautiful color, high hardness enough - on these grounds it could take its rightful place among the most expensive gemstones. But, unfortunately, it has a very fragile euclase (on its Urals called hrupikom) and perfect cleavage (in Greek ewxkaoic, -. Well fissile), which makes it extremely inconvenient material for cutting.

Euclase, especially in the form of faceted, color and some physical properties similar to beryl (especially aquamarine), phenacite, kyanite, chrysoberyl, tourmaline, spodumene (particularly at giddenit). Furthermore, it can serve as simulated diamonds; however, lower hardness and optical properties make it possible without much difficulty to distinguish between these two minerals.

Origin.
Euclase in the form of small crystals occur in granites and schists. The pegmatites it can reach considerable size - of the order of a few centimeters. Occasionally found in alluvial sands and gravels. In nature euclase formed in the veins of the Alpine type in the voids and greisens miarolitic pegmatites, hydrothermal deposits of fluorite-bertrandite-fenakitovoy formation in beryllium metasomatic feldspar, chlorite schists, and in alluvial deposits.

Deposits and application.
The main deposits are in Brazil. In Italy it is mined from pegmatite veins in Valle Aurina (Bolzano province); in Europe it is reported from the field Rauris (Austria), where he is present in the form of small crystals in association with albite. The most significant alluvial deposits - Sanarka on the river in the Urals. The mineral is used in jewelry. Its faces in plates and the stairs. We used to cut only a few stones from Brazil and the Urals.

Germanium (Ge) - a biological substitute for calcium Ca (for biological functions similar to orgshanizme). Germanium Ge - a trace mineral, which in humans improves the efficiency of the body's immune system, fight with cancer (treatment of bone tumors with radiation), reduces pain. The daily requirement of the human body - 0.4-1.5 mg (assuming replacement of calcium in the future).

Germanium Ge radioactive and well absorbed by the body (about 95%) and relatively evenly distributed in organs and tissues (in both extracellular and intracellular spaces). Germanium is excreted from the body mainly in the urine (90%). The biological role in humans. In humans, the organic germanium Ge has a broad spectrum of biological activity:

• provides anti-hypoxic action - provides the transport of oxygen to the tissues of the body and carries oxygen, prevents the development of oxygen deficiency at the tissue level, reduces the risk of so-called blood hypoxia that occurs with a decrease in hemoglobin in red blood cells (iron deficiency anemia);
• It stimulates the immune system by suppressing the reproductive processes of microbial cells by activating macrophages and specific immune cells (replaces silver in microdozes);
• has antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties (stimulates the production of interferon to protect against foreign micro-organisms) - replaces gold trace level;
• It is a powerful antioxidant - a blocker of free radicals in the body;
• retards the development of malignant tumors and prevents the appearance of metastases (negatively charged particles neutralize the tumor, thereby inhibiting its development - radiation therapy and radiation destruction of malignant bone tumors, tendons, serous tissues and fat);
• It controls all the valves of the digestive system, motility and the venous system;
• reduces pain (germanium compound stop the movement of electrons in nerve cells, thereby stopping the pain).

Germanium Ge extends the life of laboratory animals by 25-30% (calcium). Synergists and antagonists germanium Ge. There is evidence of synergistic action of germanium and selenium. Signs of germanium failure: osteoporosis, increased risk of cancer. Lack of germanium content in the diet is accompanied by damage to the bone matrix. The main symptoms of excess germanium: skin irritation (contact with GeCl2, such as lignite ash), liver and kidney (at very high doses).

Germanium Ge needs: for infections of various origin, generally lowering the tone of the organism, when recovering from an illness, osteoporosis, treatment of anemia and immunodeficiency states. Food sources of germanium Ge: garlic, green garlic, bran, beans, mushrooms, tomato juice, fish, squid, mussels, shrimp, kelp, milk. Accumulates with age in humans and is displayed only when the "dairy" diet (cheese, sour milk, whey, curds).

Champion for Ge Ge content among food yavletsya garlic (not warned - this is usually a very dangerous supplements in large quantities). Dry garlic contains 750 mg of germanium Ge 1 g dry weight chives. Replaced in the future on calcium (Ca supplementation preparation) - the bone in the application of germanium become softer, bone partially replaced by connective. According to the materials: http://www.pharmacognosy.com.ua

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