Members of the tourmaline family of minerals have the same basic crystal structure, but occur in many colors. Rubellite (from the Latin for red) is the name given to the pink or red variety, with ruby-red stones the most highly prized. Rubellite crystals are striated, with a triangular cross-section and a rounded outline. They may also occur with a fibrous habit, and show a cat’s-eye when cut in cabochon.
Russian pink and red tourmaline occurs in weathered granites. Other sites include Madagascar, United States, Brazil, Burma, and East Africa.
The specific gravity of tourmaline varies with color dark red has a higher S.G. than pink.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.