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Material

Spinel

Oxide Minerals

Spinel is the magnesium and aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals, with the formula MgAl2O4 in the cubic crystal system. The name comes from the Latin word spinella, a diminutive of spine, in reference to its pointed crystals. It crystallizes in the isometric system, commonly as twinned octahedra, has a hardness of 8, and may be colorless but usually comes in shades of red, lavender, blue, green, brown, black or yellow. Some spinels are among the most famous gemstones, including the Black Prince's Ruby and the Timur Ruby in the British Crown Jewels. In this atlas it is the mineral species that spinel gemstones record.

Facts
Kind
Mineral 1
Chemical Formula
MgAl2O4 1
Hardness (Mohs)
8 1
The Wikipedia article states that its hardness is 8.
Classification
Crystal System
Cubic (Isometric) 1
Classification
Oxide Mineral 1
Use
Gemstone 1
Connections

Classified As

Oxide Minerals, Subcategories

Crystallizes In System

Cubic Crystal System, Concepts

In Discipline

Mineralogy, Disciplines
In the Other Atlases

Mineral Species Of

Red Spinel

Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.

Found In

Australia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Other countries where spinel is mined include Afghanistan , Nepal , Tajikistan , Australia , Madagascar , Nigeria , and Tanzania
Madagascar

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Other countries where spinel is mined include Afghanistan , Nepal , Tajikistan , Australia , Madagascar , Nigeria , and Tanzania
Myanmar

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Most spinels of a "ruby-red color" are produced from alluvial deposits in Sri Lanka , Thailand , Cambodia , Vietnam , and Myanmar
Nigeria

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Other countries where spinel is mined include Afghanistan , Nepal , Tajikistan , Australia , Madagascar , Nigeria , and Tanzania
Sri Lanka

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Most spinels of a "ruby-red color" are produced from alluvial deposits in Sri Lanka , Thailand , Cambodia , Vietnam , and Myanmar
Tanzania

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
Other countries where spinel is mined include Afghanistan , Nepal , Tajikistan , Australia , Madagascar , Nigeria , and Tanzania
Vietnam

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Geology.com: Spinel mineral and gemstoneArticle text
Quote, Article text
alluvial spinel produced in Vietnam
Sources
1. Spinel (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Spinel, lead paragraph
    It has the formula MgAl2O4 in the cubic crystal system.
  • Spinel, article text
    Its hardness is 8
View the Source
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