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Test your gemstone and mineral knowledge with the following quiz this Easter weekend.
Answers below.
1. What is the connection between a surgeon's scalpel and a top chef's knife?
2. What is the second most abundant mineral in the earth's crust?
3. And the most abundant?
4. To which mineral does the semi-precious stone Blue John belong?
5. Where is it mined?
6. St Edward's Crown is the crown used at the point of coronation in Britain. In what year was it permanently set with semi-precious gemstones?
7. The Imperial State Crown is used after coronation as the monarch leaves Westminster Abbey. What is the "Black Prince's Ruby" centre front?
8. What is another word for rutilation in black rutilated quartz?
9. Which semi-precious gemstone is often found with malachite?
10. What is the name of the world's largest top quality white diamond?
Answers:
1. Obsidian - a hard volcanic mineral which creates the sharpest cutting edge.
2. Quartz
3. Bridgmanite - recently discovered hundreds of miles beneath the earth's crust.
4. Fluorite
5. Treak Cliff Hill, Castleton, Derbyshire.
6. 1911
7. Not ruby but Spinel or Balas. It was given to Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince) by Pedro the Cruel King of Castile for helping him beat a rival in battle.
8. Tourmalination.
9. Azurite.
10. The Cullinan 1 diamond. It is set into the Sovereign's Sceptre and weighs 530.2 carats
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