Rubellite is the red or pink variety of

tourmaline Tourmaline ( ) is a crystalline silicate mineral group in which boron is compounded with elements such as aluminium, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, or potassium. Tourmaline is a gemstone and can be found in a wide variety of colors. The ...

and is a member of

elbaite Elbaite, a sodium, lithium, aluminium boro-silicate, with the chemical composition Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6Si6O18(BO3)3(OH)4, is a mineral species belonging to the six-member ring cyclosilicate tourmaline group. Elbaite forms three series, with dravite, ...

. Rubellite is also the rarest

gem A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, a ...

in its gem family. It is occasionally mistaken for

ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sa ...

. These gems typically contain inclusions. Notable places where rubellite can be mined includes

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, and the

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Name

Rubellite is named after the Latin word for red. The word rubellite was first used in the year 1794. The gem is also called Aphrite, Apyrite, Rubelite, or Rubylite.

Value

Rubellite is the most expensive and prized gem in the

group. The most valuable rubellites are those that are colored red and have no brown. Ones that are of ruby color are the most valuable.

References

Gemstones Tourmalines {{Silicate-mineral-stub