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Gemstones
of Turkey

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Prof. Dr. M. Sezai KIRIKOGLU
Istanbul
Technical University
sezai@itu.edu.tr
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The
map and the information about Turkey's gemstones are from Prof. Dr. S. Kırıkoğlu's
work and used here with his permission.
His
article has a lot of information. I did not translate his article
word by word. If you need to learn more please let me know your
specific question.
The
original name of the places sometimes have different fonts, you may need
to download Turkish language fonts.
The
crystals of Turkish gems are from my collection and photos were taking
by me unless otherwise stated. |
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Fig.
1; Gemstones and their locations.

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1. Bursa, Harmancık, Akpınar
village
2.
Bursa, Kestelek; borate, colemanite
3.
Balıkesir, Dursunbey, Güğü village
4.
Balıkesir, Eğmir; hematit
5.
Balıkesir, Bigadiç; borate, colemanite
6.
Balıkesir, Kepsut, Karagözköy
7.
Balıkesir, Gönen, Alacaoluk and
Beyoluk; beryl
8.
Kütahya, Simav, Karamanca county; fire opal
9.
Kütahya, Tavşanlı
10.
Kütahya,
Dereyalak village; dendritic
agate
11.
Kütahya,
Dağardı, İmnehler village
12.
Eskişehir,
Sarıcakaya; blue chalcedony
13.
Eskişehir,
İnenü; dendritic agate
14.
Eskişehir,
Yunus Emre; onyx marble
15.
Muğla,
Milas, Selimiye village; diaspore
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16.
Muğla,
Yatağan; kyanite
17. Ankara, Çubuk;
Çubuk agate
18. Ankara, Bala;
gipsrose
19. Ankara, Hayman;
tree agate
20. Ankara,
Beypazar; chalcedony
21.
Istanbul, Beylikdüzü, Kavaklı village;
tree agate
22.
Istanbul, Kartal; amethyst
23.
Aydın, Çine; moonstone feldspar and
quartz crystal
24.
Aydın, Çine, Mersinbelen village; quartz crystal
25.
Kırşehir, Çiçekdağ; beryl,
tourmaline, chrysoberyl
26.
Sivas, Akkaya; selestite
27.
Sivas, Kangal
28.
Çankırı;
29.
Çanakkale, Biga; chrysoprase
30.
Kars; obsidien
31.
Yozgat, Sorgun; beryl, tourmaline
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32.
Yozgat, Sefaatli; beryl, tourmaline
33. Erzurum, Oltu;
jet
34.
Erzincan, Kopdağ; kemearerite
35.
İzmir, Aliağa; chalcedony
36.
İzmir, Güzelbahçe; agate, chalcedony
37.
Manisa, Kovancı; rutil
38.
Manisa, Demirci; rutil, quartz crystal
39.
Manisa, Akhisar; rutil, garnet,
quartz
crystal
40.
Manisa, Akhisar; rutil, garnet, quartz crystal
41.
Elazığ, Keban; fluorite
42.
Malatya;
43.
Kocaeli, Gebze, Yağcılar village;
44.
Sinop, Boyabat, Kırka village;
chrysoprase
45.
Afyon, Bayat; agate
46.
Bilecik, Söğüt; agate, chalcedony
47.
Tokat, Gülpınar village; onyx marble
48.
Van; carnelian
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In
Anatolia gemstones have been known and used in various forms of jewellery
for the past 5000
years. Although there is such a long history there aren't very many
scientific works of Turkish gemstones. Dr. M. Sezai Kırıkoğlu studies
country's gemstones.
Below
you will find a summary of excerpts from his work "Gemstones of Turkey".
As
a results of research conducted in Turkey in recent years you can find
the full list of gemstones and their locations in Fig.1.
Production
in these locations is undertaken by the inhabitants. Professional
collectors buy these stones and sell them in manufacturing centers like
Istanbul, Ankara and Idar-Oberstein in Germany.
Significant
stones produced in Turkey are diaspore, Çubuk agate, agate, dendiritic
agate, blue chalcedony, obsidien, crystal quartz, garnet, lavender jade,
meersdhaum (sepiolite). |
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Fig.2;
Diaspore
Photo
by M. Yüceer |
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Diaspore
In
Milas county of Muğla diaspore is found as clear and large
crystals.(Fig.2). Diaspore's chemical composition is AIO(OH). Its
crystal habit is orthorombic, hardness is 6.5-7. It is transparent with
colours of yellow, greenish yellow and pinkish yellow. Some stones when
contains Mn is red. It resembles alexandrite with a colour change
effect. In daylight its colour appears greenish yellow while in incandescent
light or at night it is pink.
RI;
1.702 -1.750, SG; 3.394
Good
quality 15-20 cm crystals are beeing sold for $3000,
and good cut stones sell for $400/ct.
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Quartz

Fig.3;
Çubuk agate
Photo
by M. Yüceer |
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Çubuk
agate This
very
rare stone is found only in Çubuk near Ankara, Turkey (Fig.3). The
stone shows different band widhts with different colours. Tones of red,
brown, yellow, green and gray are the colours you can see. Stick-like
minerals and colour bands sometimes produce beautiful motives which from
the stone gets its name like; landscape agate, picture agate, eye agate. Its
chemical
formula is SiO2
+ SiO2 n H2O,
hardness; 6.5 - 7, SG; 2.58 - 2.65. |
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Fig.4; Tree agate
Photo
by M. Yüceer |
Fig.
5; Tree agate
Photo
by M. Yüceer
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Tree
agate
This
is fossilized tree which can be found around Kızılcahamam and
Haymana near Ankara, Tunçbilek in Kütahya and Beylikdüzü and Silivri
in Istanbul. Its hardness is 7 and chemical folmula is SiO2
+ SiO2 n H2O.
The trees' roots, branches and trunk all could become like stone
and everything is preserved as it is. The trace elements give the stone
different colours. Whitish-gray, yellow, brown, green and red. Mostly it
is semi transparent or opaque.
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Fig.
6; dendritic agate (see photos below)
Photo
by M. Yüceer |
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Dendritic
agate
The
bands of this agate sometimes are filled with opals and for this reason
sometimes this agate is called dendiritic opal. They are found in Inönü
county of Eskişehir and in the north of Kütahya.
Chemical formula for dendritic agate is SiO2
+ SiO2 n H2O,
hardness of 6.5 - 7, SG 2.57 - 2.64.
The beautiful colours
depend on the trace elements. Transparent, white, yellow, green, red,
brown and black colours are the most occurant colours.
Please see fig. 6 and 9 and
17. |
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Fig.
7; blue chalcedony |
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Blue
chalcedony
When
blue chalcedony is mentioned one thinks of Sarıcakaya of Eskişehir.
Blue chalcedony of Turkey is unmatchable. Its colour is all the tones of
blue. Rarely, yellow, brown and red spots are seen. It
is translucent. Its hardness is 7.5 - 8.5. It is very good
for cabochon cut, faceting, carving and all kinds of jewellery and
decoration objects. Many foreign designers won awards with the designs
where they used blue chalcedony of Turkey. Good
quality blue chalcedony stones are sold from $100/kg.
The cabochons and faceted stones sell for $50/ct. (Fig. 7)
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Various
chalcedony stones from my collection
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Fig.
8 |
Fig.
9
Photo
by M. Yüceer |

Fig.
10; Beautiful pink colour |
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Fig.
11 |

Fig.
12; 12cm
X 8cm |

Fig.13;
19cm
X 13cm |
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Fig.14;
Carnelian
Photo
by M. Yüceer
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Fig.15 Smoky quartz
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Fig.16;
This stone gives an
RI
reading and SG of opal
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Fig.
17; Nice examples of dendritic opals. The one at the left has translucent
gray centre and the one at the right has pink.
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Fig. 18; Rock quartz crystal
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Fig
9; Jet |
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Oltu
stone
It
is used in Erzurum area very much in all kinds of jewellery.
It is a kind of fossilized
wood, Jet. Chemical composition is
carbonaceous.
Its hardness 2.5-4. RI; 1.66, SG; 1.3.
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These
are mostly the agates and chalcedonies from Turkey, Ankara.
Mr.
Omer Tanju Durusoy kindly permitted me to put some pictures of his beautiful
stones. These are only few of them. If you want to see more his website and FB
page address;
http:www.buyulutas.net/tr/
https:www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008528862424&sk=about
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish stick agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish stick agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Amethyst in the agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish moss agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish floral agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish blue chalcedony from North Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish stick agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish pink floral agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish stick psedomorph agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish dendritic agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish stick agate from North Ankara |
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Turkish pseudomorph agate from North
Ankara |
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Turkish blue chalcedony from North Ankara |
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