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Science 28 January 2000:
Vol. 287. no. 5453, p. 562
DOI: 10.1126/science.287.5453.562a
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News of the Week

GEOLOGY:
Discovering the Original Emerald Cities

Erik Stokstad

On page 631, scientists describe a kind of atomic birth certificate that can peg where emeralds were grubbed from the ground. The technique might help dealers authenticate top-quality stones, and it could clear up the mysterious origins of Old World emeralds, including some famous gems. Indeed, the approach is already providing information on ancient trade routes, and it might someday offer tantalizing hints of long-lost mines.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)