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Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3) typically containing traces of iron, titanium, vanadium, and chromium. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] It is a rock -forming mineral . It is a naturally transparent material, but can have different colors depending on the presence of transition metal impurities in its crystalline structure. [ 7 ]
Lustre (British English) or luster (American English; see spelling differences) is the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock, or mineral. The word traces its origins back to the Latin lux , meaning "light", and generally implies radiance, gloss, or brilliance.
The Mohs Hardness Scale is the main scale to measure mineral hardness. Finger nail is 2.5, copper coin is 3.5, glass is 5.5 and steel is 6.5. Hardness scale is Talc is 1, Gypsum is 2, Calcite is 3, Fluorite is 4, Apatite is 5, Orthoclase Feldspar is 6, Quartz is 7, Topaz is 8, Corundum is 9 and Diamond is 10. Odor; Not always recommended.
It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. Red corundum stones also occur, but are called rubies rather than sapphires. Pink-colored corundum may be classified either as ruby or sapphire depending on the locale.
Sapphires are a color variety of corundum, a crystalline form of aluminium oxide (Al 2 O 3). [14] Corundum is one of the hardest minerals, rating 9 on the Mohs scale. [15] Corundum gems of most colors are called sapphires, except for red ones, which are called rubies. [16] The term "Yogo sapphire" refers only to sapphires from the Yogo Gulch. [17]
It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. The only color corundum stone that the term sapphire is not used for is red, which is called a ruby. [1] Pink colored corundum may be either classified as ruby or sapphire depending on locale.
Emery is a granular rock used to make an abrasive powder. It largely consists of corundum (aluminium oxide), mixed with other minerals such as the iron-bearing spinels, hercynite, and magnetite, and also rutile . Industrial emery may contain a variety of other minerals and synthetic compounds such as magnesia, mullite, and silica.
The archetypal asteria is the star sapphire, generally corundum with near uniform impurities which is bluish-grey and milky or opalescent, which when lit has a star of six rays. In the red instance stellate reflection is rarer; the star- ruby occasionally found with the star-sapphire in Sri Lanka is among the most valued of "fancy stones".