In Situ Study of Mineralogy, Gemology, and Geochemistry and Advances in Gem Resource Exploration

Dear Colleagues,

Mineral crystallography, as the cornerstone of earth sciences, materials science, and gemology, has undergone remarkable evolution over the decades. In its early stages, researchers relied on fundamental yet pivotal methods to unravel the mysteries of mineral crystals. These included classical optical microscopy, powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction (P-XRD and SC-XRD), chemical analysis techniques, as well as morphological studies using goniometry to measure crystal angles and symmetry. Such traditional approaches laid the foundation for our understanding of mineral formation, crystal symmetry, and structural relationships, providing invaluable insights that shaped the development of the field.​

In recent years, mineral crystallography has witnessed unprecedented advancements driven by breakthroughs in testing methods and instrumental technologies. The advent of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) has enabled researchers to explore crystal structures at atomic and nanometric scales that were previously inaccessible. Concurrently, the integration of crystallography with interdisciplinary fields such as colorimetry and gemology has opened new avenues of research. In gemology, state-of-the-art analytical tools such as Raman spectroscopy, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), and Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy（LA-ICP-MS）have revolutionized gem identification, origin determination, and the study of gem formation processes, bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application.

This Special Issue invites submissions that include original scientific research relating to gem deposits from well-known and/or new localities worldwide, as well as research involving mineral samples from museum collections. The research methodology should employ a range of characterization techniques for the analysis of mineral microstructures. This Issue focuses on the following topics: (1) in situ research on mineral crystallography; (2) the structural study of mineral crystals; (3) gemological quality evaluation of color, transparency, and luster; (4) the geological background, occurrence, and genesis of gem deposits; (5) the mineralogical, gemological, geochemical, and spectroscopy characteristics of gemstones; (6) the applications of combined studies to trace the provenance of gemstones and highlight the methods of identification for gemstones；and (7）research on the history, materials, and other aspects of museum-collected mineral samples.

Prof. Dr. Ying Guo
Dr. Qingfeng Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.