Rubellite
{{Short description|Mineral}}
{{Expand language|otherarticle=Rubellite|langcode=It|date=October 2021}}{{Infobox mineral
|image=Tourmaline-280362.jpg
|category=Tourmaline{{Mindat |id=3472 |name=Rubellite}}
|color=Red, pink, pinkish, violet-red}}
Rubellite is the red or pink variety of tourmaline and is a member of elbaite. Rubellite is also the rarest gem in its family.{{cite book |last=Oldershaw|first=Cally |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wm_X_LzoN-cC&q=Rubellite&pg=PA132 |title=Firefly Guide to Gems |date=2003 |publisher=Firefly Books |isbn=978-1-55297-814-6 |page=132 |language=en}} It is occasionally mistaken for ruby.{{cite book |last1=Grande|first1=Lance |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RnE9Fa4pbn0C&q=Rubellite&pg=PA147 |title=Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World |last2=Augustyn|first2=Allison |date=2009-11-15 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-30511-0 |page=147 |language=en}} These gems typically contain inclusions.{{cite web |title=Rubellite Tourmaline Value, Price, and Jewelry Information |url=https://gemsociety.org/article/rubellite-jewelry-and-gemstone-information |publisher=International Gem Society |language=en |access-date=2021-10-01}}
Notable countries where rubellite can be mined include Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States.
Name
Rubellite is named after the Latin word {{wikt-lang|la|rubellus}}, meaning "reddish". The word rubellite was first used in the year 1794.{{cite Merriam-Webster|rubellite |access-date=2021-09-17}}
The gem is also called aphrite, apyrite, rubelite, or rubylite.
History
Rubellite crystals were known in Europe when specimens were imported from the East as early as Roman times, however these rubellite specimens were confused with other red gemstones, such as some garnets and spinels.{{Cite book |title=The magical world of minerals & gems Practical guide to discovering and collecting them |publisher=De Agostini |year=1993–1996 |location=Novara |language=it}}
Value
Rubellite used to be the most expensive and prized gem in the tourmaline group but has since been eclipsed by the Paraiba tourmaline.
{{cite web|title=TOURMALINE BUYING GUIDE|url=https://www.palagems.com/tourmaline-buying-guide |publisher=palagems.com|access-date=2024-12-18}}{{cite book |last=Federman|first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=flqvBQAAQBAJ&q=Rubellite&pg=PA163 |title=Modern Jeweler's Consumer Guide to Colored Gemstones |date=2012-12-06 |publisher=Springer Science+Business Media |isbn=978-1-4684-6488-7 |page=163 |language=en}} The most valuable specimens are colored red and lack brown. Those that are of ruby color are the most valuable.{{cite web |title=Rubellite gemstone information |url=https://gemdat.org/gem-3472.html |publisher=gemdat.org |access-date=2021-10-01}}