Two photographs showing characteristic typical of emeralds from from Musakashi, Zambia, including (above) fine parallel hollow tubes along the c-axis of stone, and (below) spiky multiphase fluid-inclusions. Photos © M.S. Krzemnicki, SSEF.

The batch of 10 emeralds submitted to SSEF had a total weight of approximately 5 carats. Nine of them displayed classic features of Zambian emeralds from the Kafubu area, such as mica flakes, amphibole inclusions and rectangular 2-phase inclusions. But the anomalous stone revealed features previously described in emeralds from Musakashi.

Advanced testing using LAICPMS (GemTOF, see http://www.gemtof.ch), enabled SSEF to positively confirm that the emerald had originated from Musakashi. This was done by comparing the data with analyses of rough samples from the area, which had been added recently to the SSEF reference collection.
“Learning more about new gem deposits is an ongoing obligation and sometimes a challenge for any gem lab.” says Dr. Michael Krzemnicki, Director at the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF. “Studying material from new and lesser-known emerald deposits gives us greater insight into the different formation mechanisms for emerald crystallisation. This ultimately supports our work on origin determination, and also means that occasionally we have to update our findings and conclusions, when new scientific evidence is revealed.”

“Having now seen stones of very fine quality of 2-5 carats and higher from Musakashi, it is reasonable to assume that production has become more active in the area, and more of this interesting material will appear in the trade in the near future,” Dr. Michael Krzemnicki added.

Further research on these samples is being conducted and will be reported upon in the near future in the SSEF Facette.

Been waiting quite a while to learn of another sighting of emerald from this source.

Very intriguing! Incidentally I wonder if they routinely do this level of testing on all stones that come through, or if the inclusions tipped them off.

I'd be pretty surprised if MS was a standard measurement on a parcel of 1/2 carat stones. As you mention, probably the inclusions (and maybe fluorescence measurement?) suggested they do a deeper analysis. That, and they knew to be on the lookout for Musakashi stones.