Introduction
Spinel, a magnesium aluminum oxide found in gemstones, is also the
term for a group of metal oxides that have a similar crystal structure.
Although it can occur in different hues, the most popular ones are blue,
purple, red, and pink. The blood-red variant is commonly referred to as
"ruby spinel." Another variation, called star spinels, gets its name
from the stars that are generated by internal light reflection. The majority of
spinel is retrieved from stream gravels; the earliest gem was found in a Buddhist
tomb and dates back to 100 BCE.
"Ruby" of the Black Prince is an instance of identity confusion
After their combined triumph at the Battle of Najera in 1367, Peter the Cruel,
king of Castille, is said to have given Edward, the Black Prince, son of
English King Edward III, the magnificent spinel known as the Black Prince's
Ruby. It was afterward set in the British Imperial State Crown. Henry V,
another English king, wore it and almost lost it at the Battle of Agincourt in
1415. Up to the 19th century, many believed it to be a ruby.
Specifications
Specification of Pyrite |
|
Chemical name |
Magnesium aluminum oxide |
Formula |
MgAl2O4 |
Colors |
Red, yellow, orange, red, blue, green, black,
colorless |
Structure |
Cubic |
Hardness |
8 |
SG |
3.6 |
RI |
1.71–1.73 |
Luster |
Vitreous |
Streak |
White |
Locations |
Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan,
Australia, Tanzania |
Spinel group | These
gem-quality spinels show the mineral’s color range. Some specimens are water
rounded, while others have complete octahedral crystal forms.
Aggregate | This uncut
stone is an aggregate of a number of small, gemmy, red spinel crystals that
have naturally bonded together.
Magnetite | The distinctive, dark-colored iron oxide magnetite is one of the spinel group of minerals, seen here as a cluster of black octahedra.
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