Emerald from Panjshir, Afghanistan
Contributed by: Michael Crawford
Date: Aug 29th, 2025
Locality: Panjshir, Afghanistan (See on Mindat)
Size: 4 x 5 cm
Description:
Gemmy green crystals of emerald from Panjshir, Afghanistan. Emerald is a variety of beryl (Be3Al2(Si6O18)). Trace amounts of chromium, vanadium, and iron are responsible for the green color in daylight. Chromium (Cr3+) and ferric iron (Fe3+) can also cause it to fluoresce under longwave UV light. The emerald is non-fluorescence under midwave and shortwave light. Many emeralds do not fluoresce, and the typical red fluorescence is modest. A small patch of calcite is also present. It fluoresces white in the longwave image.
The longwave emission spectrum of these Afghan emeralds differs from the typical spectrum of emeralds from Colombia. Colombian emerald spectra have a sharp peak at 684 nm caused by chromium. This peak is not present in the Panjshir longwave spectrum, but there is a slight inflection around 684 nm in the 405 nm laser spectrum. Another difference is the broad peak in the near infrared. Colombian emeralds have an asymmetric peak with a maximum at 713 nm. The Afghan emerald has a symmetrical peak with a maximum at 732 nm. The Afghan emerald peak shifts to 727 nm in the 405 nm laser spectrum. The differences suggest smaller amounts of chromium in the Afghan emeralds, and perhaps ferric iron contributes more to the activation of the red fluorescence.
The last two images show the infrared fluorescence of the emerald. The emission spectra show that the infrared fluorescence is brighter than the visible fluorescence.
Summary of luminescence responses:
Beryl var. Emerald (Mindat) (RRUFF)
- Fluorescence under Longwave (365nm LED) UV light: Red