Ruri no Houseki - Vol. 2 Ch. 12.5 - Bonus

[MangaDex]

 

[Serenata]

I want to ask an expert, how far are we to synthetically make rare minerals? because is always talked like alchemy or magic to turn rocks into gold. Today we can see plenty of videos like you know with bismuth, people can make it so easy but with gems and gold you need a loooooooooot of pressure, a loooooooooot of heat and also A LOOOOOOOOOOOT of time. I think humans can recreate the pressure and even the heat and depending on the first two, perhaps the time can be reduced but what are the specific conditions that keep us from recreating the natural environment where it forms over time?

 

[EatTheBones]

We're actually extremely capable of making gemstone-quality synthetic minerals of many kinds, to large sizes, and to impressive clarities. In fact, synthetic rubies and sapphires are on average better-quality than natural ones. Synthetic emeralds are almost universally higher quality than natural ones, because they can be carefully grown without inclusions, while natural emeralds are almost always heavily included. Synthetic diamonds can be enormous, crystal-clear, and are dirt cheap on the production side of things.
Gemstones as an industry is something controlled by marketing. The desire for a rare natural stone almost universally outweighs people's desire for jewelery for its own sake and that's something that's heavily controlled by a grip of marketing. You could go buy a 15 carat crystal clear pigeon's blood ruby for $25 right now, if you wanted.

 

[Serenata]

We're actually extremely capable of making gemstone-quality synthetic minerals of many kinds, to large sizes, and to impressive clarities. In fact, synthetic rubies and sapphires are on average better-quality than natural ones. Synthetic emeralds are almost universally higher quality than natural ones, because they can be carefully grown without inclusions, while natural emeralds are almost always heavily included. Synthetic diamonds can be enormous, crystal-clear, and are dirt cheap on the production side of things.
Gemstones as an industry is something controlled by marketing. The desire for a rare natural stone almost universally outweighs people's desire for jewelery for its own sake and that's something that's heavily controlled by a grip of marketing. You could go buy a 15 carat crystal clear pigeon's blood ruby for $25 right now, if you wanted.

Thanks! good to know this before watching the anime and decide to climb mountains or traverse rivers to become rich gathering shinny ores while the novelty dies a little bit, is good to know how much we've advanced, I still want to find something cool out there.

 

[LifeLight]

Chat, we've done it, the anime is out. AND ITS SO GOOD

 

[BorguyThe64th]

Leave it to the author to make granite, a ubiquitous rock, seem extraordinary.

Also, Imari looked adorable in that alien costume.