Malaya
Malaya is, just like rhodolite, a pyrope mixed with almandine and spessartine but also has a small amount of grossular in it. To be considered Malaya, the SG should be 3.77-3.90 and RI 1.74-1.76 (there is a small variance in limits depending on the source). The values overlap with standard pyrope and rhodolite, so in some cases, the color determines whether it is a Malaya or not. However, for the cutter, there is no difference. What applies to pyrope also applies to Malaya.
Physical properties:
| Chemistry: | (Mg,Mn,Fe)+23Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Hardness: | 7.25 |
| SG: | 3.77-3.90 |
| Cleavage: | None |
| Fracture: | Sometimes slightly brittle |
| Heat sensitivity: | None |
Optical properties:
| RI: | 1.74-1.76 |
| Dispersion: | 0.026 (medium) |
| Double refraction: | None |
| Pleochroism: | None |
| Critical angle: | 35° |
Facet angles (pavilion/crown):
| Vargas: | 41°/40° |
| Olson: | 39°/37° |
| Soukup: | 42°/37° |
| Roth: | 42°/37° |
| MDR: | 42°/37° |
| Schlagel: | 40°/36° |
| Hashnu: | 41°/39° |
| Sinkankas: | 40°/40° |
| GIA: | 42°/37° |
| Raytech: | 40°/38° |
Cutting lap:
Medium - Fine
Facet Polishing:
| Vargas: | Aluminum oxide on tin/lead, tin oxide on tin |
| Olson: | Chromium oxide on tin |
| Soukup: | Aluminum oxide on tin or tin/lead |
| Christiansen: | Aluminum oxide on tin/lead, tin oxide on tin |
| MDR: | Tin or aluminum oxide on tin, aluminum oxide on type metal |
Cabochon Polishing:
| Olson: | Chromium oxide on leather |
| Christiansen: | Aluminum, tin or chromium oxide on leather or wood |
| Cox: | Aluminum or chromium oxide on leather, cerium oxide on felt |
| Covington: | Chromium or cerium oxide on felt |
Orienting:
For best yield
Treatments/Synthesis:
None
Tips!
Malaya is often too brittle for coarse or new cutting laps.
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