Structure-property relationships in natural mineral systems probed by integrated thermoluminescence, powder X-ray...

Minerals, due to their intrinsic defect structures and luminescence sensitivity, may be inspiring when developing and searching for a new candidate for a radiation dosimeter. Their performance is strongly influenced by geological origin, compositional variability and mineral inclusions set what also means different dosimetric properties for the same type of mineral. In this study, we present an integrated analytical approach combining thermoluminescence (TL), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) and Raman micro-spectroscopy (RS) to investigate the structural and luminescence characteristics of topaz, tourmaline, and zircon from diverse geological and geographical settings. In general, structurally purer samples, confirmed by single-phase PXRD patterns and sharp, well-resolved Raman bands, exhibited well-defined and intense TL peaks, which are highly desirable for radiation dosimetry. In contrast, samples hosting multiple mineral inclusions or greater lattice disorder showed broadened or multi-component TL responses. Notably, zircon from Cambodia displayed a single, symmetric TL peak consistent with its high structural purity, while zircons from Thailand and Norway showed more complex TL behavior linked to impurity phases and lattice distortions. Similar provenance-dependent trends were identified for topaz and tourmaline. These results demonstrate that the combined use of TL, PXRD, μ-XRF and RS provides a powerful, complementary framework for the description of gemstones of similar mineralogical identity but different geographic origin, while offering insights into the selection of natural materials for the design of new synthetic dosimetric systems. The study highlights that integrated TL-Raman-PXRD- μ-XRF analysis serves as a sensitive probe of mineralogical complexity and chemical variability of gemstones and provides a structure-property framework that may help to guide the future selection and design of candidate dosimetric materials.