Abstract
The occurrence of agate, jasper, rock crystal, amethyst and smoky quartz of the Steinkaulenberg at the periphery of the gemstone metropolis Idar-Oberstein, which is open as a visitor’s mine today, has a more than 250 years long history. The quartz-bearing geods and veins are associated to Permian volcanic rocks, especially latit andesite and produce until 1875 agate in various white, grey, blue, red and brown colour shades, red and yellow jasper mostly together with moss agate, agate or chalcedony (jaspagate) as well as white and colourless quartz (rock crystal), amethyst and smoky quartz.
In addition to information on history and geology this article deals with the description of the gem materials, their special features, colour causes and modifications as well as gemmological characteristics, especially inclusion patterns.
Figure 1: View of the Steinkaulenberg from the west
This article appeared in German language in our Journal. Members have access via our online archive.
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Contents of the 3/4 December 2025 issue
U. HENN
Die Edelsteine aus dem Steinkaulenberg, Idar-Oberstein
Eine mineralogisch-gemmologische Betrachtung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Farbursachen und Einschlussparagenese
U. KEMPE, D. WEBER, R. KLEEBERG, K. UNGER, A. MASSANEK, M. MROZIK, M. WAGNER
Über die Materialanalyse zur Herkunftsbestimmung chinesischer Specksteinfiguren
CLAUDIO C. MILISENDA, DANIEL NYFELER, ULRIKE DURA, KLAUS SCHOLLENBRUCH, JIN GUO und TAKAHITO MORI
Gemmologische Untersuchung des Rubins im Ring der Katharina von Bora („Lutherring“)