Sapphire

  • SapphiresWhat is it and where is it formed?  Sapphires are a gemstone and the birthstone for September.  They are formed in igneous and metamorphic rocks. 

  • How and where is it mined?  Sapphires are mined using surface mining like placer mining.  They are mined in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia, and in the U.S.

  • What is it used for?  Sapphires are used for jewelry and for gem collections.

  • Interesting Information:

    • Blue sapphires are worth the most money.

    • Sapphires are blue because they have iron and titanium in them.
Mineral Characteristic What the
mineralogists say		 Kid's Guide:  What it REALLY means!
Chemical Symbol Al2O3

It has aluminum and oxygen in it.
Color Blue, yellow, purple, pink, and more The only color that they won’t be is red because then they’d be a ruby.
Streak White If you crush a ruby you will get a fine white dust.
Transparency Transparent You can see through the stone easily.
Luster Vitreous It will look glassy if you shine a light on it.
Cleavage None When you break it, it doesn’t split into a pattern that can be repeated.
Fracture Uneven When the stone is broken, it doesn’t break into pieces that are alike.
Magnetism None It will not attract, or be attracted to, a magnet.
Hardness 9 It is the next hardest mineral to a diamond.  It is very hard.
Specific gravity 4 It is a heavy mineral.
Crystal Shape Trigonal

Trigonal crystal shape