A D-SDTC cut open to reveal the color of its depth

Following is part of a letter sent by the Queensland Sapphire Producers Association to Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Queensland Premier Peter Beattie: “a significant proportion of sapphires offered for sale here in Australia have been chemically modified by a bulk diffusion process which principally used beryllium, but may also include other chemicals such as lithium and titanium. During a recent Canberra gem show, we were visited by scientists from the Australian National University who had heard of this process and were enquiring as to whether it was really true that this was done. These ANU personnel advised us that beryllium is not only a highly toxic material, but all the beryllium salts are known to be carcinogenic . As a result of this, the release of any beryllium or vaporized salts during the high temperature treatment process would have significant health consequences, and there was even some concern that the very small residual amount in the treated gemstone may have lasting health consequences “.