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In 1200 BCE, Helen of Troy’s beauty was believed to be associated with a magical star sapphire. There are many myths and legends featuring sapphires as magical healing or protecting stones. Historyįor centuries, sapphires and rubies have been associated with wealth and royalty. Today lasers contain synthetic corundum, and are used in barcode scanners, rangefinders, printers, for cutting tough materials, hair and tattoo removal, and in surgery. The instrument contained a ruby crystal that produced an intense beam of light when blasted by electricity. The first working laser was created by Hughes Research Labs in 1960. Ruby bearings in a watch with a 'jewel' movement. When the colour of a sapphire is not blue, the colour is used in the name, for example, pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, or green sapphire. Used alone, the word 'sapphire' means blue corundum.

Blue sapphires are the most common and gems with a rich blue to violet colour are the most desirable. Sapphires contain traces of iron, titanium and nickel, giving them a range of colours including green, yellow, blue, orange, black and pink. These are called star sapphires or rubies. Sometimes they contain inclusions of crystal needles producing a six or twelve pointed star reflection. Sapphire and ruby crystals can grow to large sizes (crystals have been found weighing more than a kilogram). The impurities in corundum gems produce the large range of colours found. Gems generally get their colour because of certain metals or impurities contained in the mineral. They have the same chemical composition and structure. Sapphires and rubies are both gem varieties of the mineral corundum. Each of these 41 brilliant cut gems is about 3 mm in diameter. Geoscience Australia is the government's technical adviser on all aspects of geoscience, and custodian of the geographical and geological data and knowledge of the nation.Ĭolour range of Australian sapphires. The library provides services to geoscience organisations, universities, research centres, the mining and petroleum industries and the public. The National Mineral and Fossil Collection contains over 300,000 mineral, meteorite, fossil, and rock thin section specimens, with around 700 on permanent display in the foyer at Geoscience Australia.

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Client ServicesĪ wide range of spatial information products is available from the Geoscience Australia, from our retailer network or free from our website National Mineral and Fossil Collection Data Standardsĭata standards and symbols and reference databases. Movies and mobile apps produced by Geoscience Australia. List of links to Geoscience Australia's 3D models. Interactive Maps is a discovery and exploration view of Geoscience Australia's geospatial services. General and thematic maps of Australia including outline maps, bathymetric maps, geophysical maps and geological maps. Geoscience Australia provides web services for public use that allow access to our data without having to store datasets locally. Geoscience Australia maintains a number of online tools to promote the discovery and delivery of data. Search Geoscience Australia's extensive catalogue of data, publications, online tools, maps and videos. Geoscience Australia's digital publications. List of some of Geoscience Australia's most recent releases. Geoscience Australia provides information and advice towards the management of Australia's groundwater and surface water resources. Geoscience Australia is the national focal point for coordination of geodetic information and data, and maintains a national network of geodetic observatories which forms part of a global observatory network. Information regarding mineral and minerals exploration in Australia at national and regional scale, mining and land use, sustainable development of resources, and levels of exploration activity Positioning and Navigation Information regarding Australia's coasts and estuaries, seabed mapping and Antarctica. Our natural hazard capability forms part of the backbone behind the most important decisions made by governments, emergency services, and the industry sector.

Location information about Australia's dimensions, landforms and national mapping. Petroleum resources, coal resources, uranium and thorium resources, geothermal energy, renewable energy resources, basin geology, Acreage Release. Geoscience Australia provides Earth observation services, expert advice, and information for decision makers. Information regarding various disciplines and techniques including: geochemistry, geochronology, geophysics and marine surveying.

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Our products include almanacs, software and web services providing precise astronomical data. Leaders in Earth science data, bringing the benefits of space to all Australians.