Main areas of research expertise are:
- crystal chemistry and properties of gem materials
- the function of physical boundaries between coexisting phases
- the influence of physico-chemical parameters on crystal growth and element distribution, twinning and intergrowth of natural and synthetic phases
- quality enhancement procedures
- economic geology
- strictly non-destructive micro-analytical methods in material characterization
- bio-mineralogy
- archaeometry / archaeoscience
Role and Contribution in the Science-Cluster:
The gem material research group supplies the necessary knowledge and equipment for phase analyses, chemical analyses and solid state spectroscopy, from macroscopic to microscopic and even sub-nano-scale in research and education. Sophisticated analytical methods and abundant reference standard materials warrant the complete characterization of geo- and bio-materials.
The Institute of Gem Research is closely connected to the European gem centre Idar-Oberstein and is the leading institution of the EURASIA GEM NET, an alliance of institutes in Europe and Asia concerned with material research and scientific education in the field of gem materials. There is a fruitful long term cooperative partnership with the RGZM (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz).