ruby

ruby

Sapphire is one of the most beautiful and beautiful gemstones in the world. This gemstone is distinguished by its distinctive bright red color. It is also considered one of the types of corundum, which is considered a transparent mineral when pure. This mineral is composed of aluminum oxide. The name “sapphire” is derived from the English word “sapphire.” : “Ruby” for his name in Latin: “Ruby”, which means red.

Chemical and crystal structure of rubies

Rubies are chemically composed of aluminum oxide Al2O3, and in detail it consists of “aluminum by 52.9%, and oxygen by 47.1%.” Due to the presence of some traces of chromium oxide that replace aluminum oxide, the ruby ​​becomes a distinctive bright red color, but this replacement of chromium oxide is Of the formally balanced type, cobalt nitrate drops are used to detect the quality of the ruby, or its powder can be exposed to some flame, and if a yellow flame emerges, this is evidence of the quality of the ruby ​​or “evidence of the presence of aluminum.” Sapphire is characterized by its crystallization in the form of a hexagonal system and in the form of a triangular rhombus. However, the crystal structure is different according to the different types of sapphire.

Physical properties of rubies

One of the most important properties that distinguish the sapphire stone is that it ranks ninth in hardness according to the Mohs scale, and the specific gravity of this stone is 4. It is also distinguished by its diamond-resin luster, and it is one of the stones that exist in a transparent-semi-transparent state. The sapphire is colored due to the presence of small amounts of... Chromium oxide, its percentage is only 0.1-2%, so it is present in all shades of red. It is found in light pink and bright red, and rubies have a distinctive and rare color known as “pigeon blood” red, and it is composed of only 1% of chromium oxide. This type of ruby ​​is usually found in Burma.

Locations of rubies

Rubies, sapphires, and corundum are abundant in metamorphic rocks, especially in limestones that crystallize with different minerals (gneiss schist). Rubies are also among the basic components of syenite rocks and nepheline syenite rocks. They are also found in good quantities in the areas separating Peridotite rocks and the rocks that surround them. It is also distributed in the form of crystals within pegmatite rocks, and at other times it is found in the form of crystals within soil and river sand, as a result of its high hardness and being chemically inert.

Rubies are available in many regions of the world, but they are abundant in Burma, Siam, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Australia, the United States of America, Tanzania, and Malagasy. Currently, rubies are manufactured in many countries in the world with good specifications and low prices.