A research project on developing reference materials for gem corundum was awarded this year’s Dr. Eduard Gübelin Research Scholarship, which recognises an outstanding scientist project from mineralogy, gemmology or related fields.

The 2021 scholarship was given to Sebastian Schmidt for his research, “New oxygen isotope reference materials for gem corundum with an application to detrital sapphire from the Eifel, Germany.”

Schmidt, who works for the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, prevailed over several other submissions. His research results will provide a core contribution to isotope geology and geochemistry, according to Gübelin. 

Specifically, the project examines the development of reference materials for measuring oxygen isotopes in gem corundum. The composition of oxygen isotopes is a key geochemical indicator. SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) analyses are indispensable for understanding the intra-crystalline zonation of the samples and reliably determining their origins. “But the well-characterised research materials necessary to ensure the comparability and precision of the isotope analyses are currently lacking. The project is being promoted to help fill this gap,” noted Gübelin.