Home   Gemology    Gemstones     Rubellite

RUBELLITE

Overview:

Rubellite, when exhibiting a deep red color, is the most valuable form of tourmaline. Rubellite is a variety of Pink Tourmaline that is widely popular and impressive in color and brilliance. Rubellite's intense red color makes it a beautiful Gem for mounting.The chemical impurities that color


Rubellite red or pink actually cause a growing crystal to become internally flawed or cracked. Rubellite displays pleochroism i.e. the color changes when viewed at different angles but this varies from specimen to specimen. Rubellite Tourmaline is occasionally heated and/or irradiated to enhance color.



Natural pink to red color is created by trace amounts of manganese in the chemical composition. Irradiation, in some cases with heating, is a now common practice, and can produce stable red tones in otherwise pale pink stones. As this practice is undetectable all stones must be presumed to be treated even though this may not be the case for an individual stone.

The name rubellite stayed in use because it is an economical and useful way of describing reddish tourmaline. It is tempting to call this mineral "elbaite" instead of rubellite because it is elbaite that produces most of the gem quality tourmaline, but this would not be correct.

Physical Properties:

Rubellite (Red Tourmaline)

Rubellite (Red Tourmaline)

Crystal System
Trigonal
Chemistry
Complex Silicate
Hardness
7-7.5
Source
Sri lanka, Brazil, Africa, USA, Australia, Afghanistan, Italy, Germany, Madagascar
Chakra
Sacral

Sign of Rubellite: Scorpio

Usage:

Vitality, detoxification, heart, digestive system, blood vessels, reproductive system, circulation, spleen and liver function, veins, muscle spasm, chills, production, detoxification, spinal adjustments, balancing male-female energy, paranoia, dyslexia, hand-to-eye coordination, assimilation and translation of coded information, energy flow and removal of blockages.

Legend:

In addition to carrying the generic properties of tourmaline, Rubellite enhances your ability to understand love. This stone promotes tactfulness and flexibility, sociability and extroversion, balancing too much aggression or over-passivity. Energizing the sacral chakra, it increases stamina, endurance and creativity on all levels.

Occurrence:

Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Russia (Urals), USA, Madagascar, North America, Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Africa, Siberia, Australia, Sri Lanka (Ceylon).