Multifacet

Definition

Mohs scale hardness 7.5 - 8

Almost every hue of gemstone may be made from spinel. Although good examples may fetch extremely high prices, it is not a popular gem. The most expensive Spinel is the bright red kind known as Ruby Spinel. As they share the same geographic locations and have a very similar appearance, there used to be no way to distinguish between real Ruby and Ruby Spinel. (These days, differences may be determined with ease using x-ray and hardness testing.) Some well-known antique "Rubies" turned out to be spinel. The famed Black Prince's Ruby, which serves as the focal point of the royal crown of Great Britain, was later determined to be a spinel. The most prevalent and well-known member of the Spinel family is magnesium spinel, sometimes simply referred to as spinel. Collectors are also familiar with gahnite, although hercynite and galaxite are quite uncommon and rarely seen in collections. Limestones that have undergone metamorphism and mudstones deficient in silica are where spinel is typically found. Aluminum oxide can develop as the mineral corundum or can mix with magnesia to produce spinel in uncommon mafic igneous rocks where the magmas are somewhat weak in alkalis compared to the amount of aluminum. Because of this, spinel and rubies are frequently discovered together. Although the process of spinel petrogenesis in mafic magmatic rocks is hotly contested, it is undoubtedly the outcome of the interaction of mafic magma with more advanced magmas or rocks like gabbro or troctolite.

Almandine Spinel is a violet-colored spinel.
Gem Spinel with a pink to light red hue, Balas Ruby.
Ceylonite is a kind of magnesium spinel that ranges in color from dark green to black and contains traces of iron.
Chlorospinel is a kind of magnesium spinel that is grass green in color and has traces of copper and iron.
Spinel with a high chrome content; sometimes known as picotite.
Chromohercynite is a kind of hercite that is high in chromium.
Hercynite's synonym is chrysomelane.
Zinc-rich end-member of the Spinel mineral class is called gahnite. Gahnite is regarded as a distinct mineral species.
Magnesium spinel and gahnite combined to form gahnospinel
Galaxite, the last mineral in the spinel mineral sequence, is rich in manganese. Scientifically speaking, galaxite is regarded as a distinct mineral species.
Iron-rich Hercynite is the last mineral in the Spinel family. Science recognizes hercynite as a distinct mineral species.
Picotite is a kind of hercynite that is rich in chromium and magnesium; it may also be used to describe brown spinel.
Spinel variant known as Pleonast is opaque, dark blue or green to black.
Spinel in the yellow to orange variation is called rubicelle.
Ruby Spinel is a clear ruby gemstone type of Spinel.

Look alike stones

Corundum, var. More durable (9), distinct crystal form: ruby.

Magnetite: Magnets are highly drawn to this softer (512–612) mineral.

Franklinite: More pliable (512–612), just weakly magnetic.

Zircon: Many crystal formations.

Chromite is heavier and softer (512) (4.1 - 5.0).

Garnet

History

The Greek word meaning spark is where the term spinel originates. Because spinel is frequently found as extremely sharp crystals, the term has alternatively been suggested to derive from the Latin word spina, which means spine or thorn. Spinel has also been known as the balas ruby since the Middle Ages, after Balascia (now Badakhshan), an area of northeast Afghanistan that was a source of beautiful spinel specimens for many years. Although spinel comes in a variety of hues, red and blue are the most well-known due to their long history of being mistaken for sapphire and ruby, respectively.

Spinel is Birthstone of August

The oldest red spinels discovered as gems date back to about 100 B.C. and were discovered in Buddhist graves in Kabul, Afghanistan. As early as the first century B.C., the ancient Romans commonly employed red spinels. Back in 51 B.C., while the Romans were occupying England, blue and green spinel specimens were brought there. According to Marco Polo, spinel mining actually started in Afghanistan between 750 and 950 A.D. Red spinels have a spectacular history and have long been favored. The Great Imperial Crown, which was created in Moscow and ordered for Catherine the Great's coronation, features a 412.25 carat dark red spinel as its focal point. The Renaissance saw widespread usage of red spinels, which rose in popularity in the 18th century. The Royal Crown Jewels of Iran have the greatest collection of spinels, which also contains a 500-carat stone. The mineral group spinel generates some of the best jewels, but owing to subpar marketing, the general public has never recognized it as a valuable ornament. It is extremely durable and has a hardness that is comparable to topaz. The 170 carat red stone in the British Imperial State Crown has traditionally been referred to as the "Black Prince's Ruby," and it has only recently been discovered that it is actually a red spinel. Historically, all red gemstones have been referred to as "rubies" (or carbunculus).

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Origins

Spinel of the highest quality originates from Mogok, Burma (Myanmar). Sri Lanka is another significant producer, particularly in Ratnapura. The first spinel gems were mined in Badakhshan, Afghanistan; more recent Afghan sites have been exploited in Jegdalek, Sarobi. Luc Yen, a major producer of spinel in recent years, is located in Vietnam's Yenbai Province. A lovely blue spinel is produced in the Hunza Valley near Gilgit, Pakistan. Aldan Shield, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia is a well-known location for finding black Spinel crystals and clusters; clear purple crystals have been found in Kukh-i-Lal, Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains. Tulear Province in Madagascar contains a number of noteworthy locations, including Ambatomainty, where massive concentrations of black crystals have been found. Tanzania has reportedly reported incidents in Morogoro and Ipanko. The Fassa Valley (Val D'Fassa), Trento Province, Italy, is a significant European place. In Ross Township, Renfrew County, Ontario, and at the Parker mine, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Quebec, spinel has been discovered.