Rutile is an interesting, varied and important mineral. Rutile is a major ore of titanium, a metal used for high tech alloys because of its light weight, high strength and resistance to corrosion. Rutile is also unwittingly of major importance to the gemstone markets. It also forms its own interesting and beautiful mineral specimens.
Rutile is a major mineral source of the element titanium. Rutile is typically about 60% titanium and 40% oxygen. It can have some iron present, sometimes up to 10%. Rutile is one of the most common titanium minerals, occurring in gneiss, mica, schist, granite, limestone and dolomite. It is also associated with quartz, hematite and feldspar. As a secondary mineral, it is common in beach sand deposits, along with the other titanium mineral, illemenite.
Rutile is brownish red and other shades, but not black. It has a hardness of 6.6, specific gravity of 4.18 to 5.2, a metalic luster and a pale brown streak. It's crystals are prismatic, vertically striated or furrowed. It fractures unevenly, to subconchoidal.
Signs of Rutile: Taurus
Lactation, elasticity of blood vessels, cell regeneration, bronchitis, premature ejaculation, impotence, frigidity, anorgasmia It contains 60% titanium; used in paints, as a coating on welding rods to stabilize the arc, and as an opacifier in ceramic glaze and in glass.Major uses of this lightweight, high strength, non-corrosive metal are aerospace, automobiles, sports, and medicine. Still, its main use is in paint as a paint pigment. It replaced lead as the most common paint pigment used in the manufacture of paint. Other uses include a coating for tiles, and it is used to treat the air, both to preserve fruits and vegetables and to remove pollution.
Brings forth each person's strengths, originality, aids sleep, relate to others. Rutile is said to intensify the metaphysical properties of its host crystal and to enhance one's understanding of difficult situations. It is also said to enhance creativity and to relieve depression and loneliness. Rutilated quartz is said to slow down the aging process and is said to be a strong healer.
Rutile is a common accessory mineral in high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic rocks and in igneous rocks.The occurrence of large specimen crystals is most common in pegmatites, skarns and particularly granite greisens. It is got from Graubünden, Switzerland and Sierra Leone in West Africa.
