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Zircon

Zircon can occur in many different colors and is a transparent to translucent crystal.

Chemical Formula: ZrSiO₄

Other names: Zirconium Silicate

Layman's explanation: Zircon (zirconium silicate) was found in Greece and Italy as far back as the 6th Century A.D. Zircon comes from the Persian word "zargun" which means gold-colored. Zircon has been used as a diamond substitute because it resembles diamond in luster and has been mistaken for diamonds by many experienced jewelers, although it is not the same as Cubic Zirconia. It can be brown, red, green, blue, yellow, black, violet, orange and colorless. A typical crystal of zircon is shaped like a tetragonal prism with four sided prisms at each end. Zircon can be found in Laacher Sea, Niedermendig and Germany, and is mined in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, and other countries.

Keywords: zargun, tetragonal, Mineral

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