Non-Destructive Micro-Chemical and Micro-Luminescence Characterization of Jadeite

Jadeite was greatly appreciated by pre-Hispanic cultures in Mesoamerica. Despite its importance, knowledge of its mining sources was lost after the Spanish conquest. In the 1950s the only confirmed jadeite deposits in Mesoamerica were found in the Motagua River Fault (MRF), Guatemala. The aim of this study is to present a methodology that is appropriate for the study of archeological jadeite objects using non-destructive spectroscopic and micro-ion beam analysis techniques. This methodology has been applied to perform mineral, elemental, and luminescence characterization of five jadeite samples from the MRF, with white, lilac, and green colors. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of jadeite, albite, and omphacite as the main mineral phases in the samples. Elemental maps using particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) with a nuclear microprobe and elemental concentration analysis from individual mineral grains using micro-PIXE coupled with micro-ionoluminescence (IL) allowed the detection of minor feldspar, titanite, and grossular mineral contents. Distinctive features from the mineral, elemental, and luminescence characterization have been found that allow the identification of these five jadeite samples.