Structure refinements of low-symmetry trapiche emeralds using single-crystal X-ray diffraction

Abstract

As a result of polarized microscope observation, the trapiche emerald showed lower-symmetry property than hexagonal one in arm area. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted to check the structure of the symmetry reduced area. The structural refinements on the arm area were performed by the space groups of P6/mcc and Cccm. The results indicated that the analyzed specimen would have two regions having hexagonal and orthorhombic.