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Ten tons of ore must be mined to produce a single ounce of
platinum.
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It takes five months to process platinum ore into pure
platinum.
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Only platinum will never tarnish or lose its rich white
luster.
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Platinum is the heaviest of the precious metals, weighing
almost twice as much as karat gold.
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Platinum is one of the world's strongest jewelry metals and is
extremely durable.
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Platinum is hypoallergenic.
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All the platinum ever mined would fit in the average size
living room.
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Annually, only about 133 tons of platinum are mined, compared to about 1,782 tons of
gold.
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Louis XVI of France proclaimed platinum the only metal fit for
royalty.
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Emerald is the birthstone for May.
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Emeralds are a member of the beryl family.
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According to legend, wearing emerald cured a range of
problems, including low IQ, poor eye sight, and infertility.
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Virtually all emeralds are impregnated with colorless oils to
mask cracks and brighten their color.
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Emeralds should be protected from sharp blows and avoid
exposure to extreme temperature changes.
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Pearl is the birthstone for June.
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Pearls are mainly produced by the Japanese, who early in the
century perfected a way to insert clam-shell beads in certain kinds of
oysters, then harvest them 1 to 2 years later after being covered with a
substantial layer of secretion called nacre.
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Virtually all pearls are permanently bleached to lighten their
body color and remove discolorations. Others are safely irradiated to
give them permanent dark-blue to black colors.
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Ruby is the birthstone for July.
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Ruby is named because of its red color (Latin Rubeus). Before
about 1800 garnet and red spinel were also designated as ruby.
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Ruby is one of the most expensive gems, large rubies being rarer than comparable
diamonds
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Red Corundum is called Ruby and all other colors of Corundum are called Sapphire.
PLATINUM FACTS:
BIRTHSTONES: