Seeing red.
Ruby in Fuchsite, Meaning, Properties, and Facts
Ruby + fuchsiteMohs 2 to 9Rock, not one mineral
Ruby in fuchsite is a rock made of pink to red ruby crystals sitting in green fuchsite, a mica rich in chromium. Below: its properties, where it comes from, how to tell it from ruby zoisite, how to care for it and the meaning people give it.
What is ruby in fuchsite
Ruby in fuchsite is a metamorphic rock: rubies, the red variety of the mineral corundum, grown inside a green mica called fuchsite. The rubies are opaque, often show six-sided outlines and are far from gem quality. Fuchsite is muscovite mica with chromium in it, named for the German mineralogist Johann Nepomuk von Fuchs, and Geology.com's fuchsite guide shows what it looks like in hand. Blue blades of kyanite often ride along in the same piece, and "ruby in fuchsite stone" is simply the name the trade uses for slabs, tumbles and carvings of it.
Ruby in fuchsite properties
Ruby in fuchsite properties are really the properties of two minerals, linked by one element: chromium makes the ruby red and the fuchsite green. The mica is far softer than the ruby, so polished pieces often show the rubies standing slightly proud of the surface:
| Rock | Ruby (corundum) in fuchsite mica, often with blue kyanite |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | Ruby Al2O3; fuchsite K(Al,Cr)2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Color cause | Chromium: red in the ruby, green in the mica |
| Hardness | Ruby 9; fuchsite 2 to 2.5 |
| Crystal system | Ruby trigonal; fuchsite monoclinic |
| Luster | Ruby glassy to dull; fuchsite pearly and glittery |
| Main localities | India |
| Water safe | Quick rinse only |
| Sun safe | Yes |
Where ruby in fuchsite is found
Ruby in fuchsite is found mainly in India, where it is mined from metamorphic rock and cut into tumbled stones, slabs, spheres and carvings. Gem rubies come from other deposits, notably Myanmar, Thailand and Mozambique, and GIA's ruby guide covers that side of the family.
Ruby in fuchsite vs ruby zoisite
Ruby in fuchsite vs ruby zoisite is the most common mix-up, and the green matrix settles it. Ruby zoisite, also called anyolite, comes from Tanzania: its host is zoisite, a harder mineral (about 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale) that polishes to an even, glassy surface, and its rubies are usually rimmed with black hornblende. Ruby in fuchsite has a soft, glittery mica matrix that can look scaly or layered, usually without black rims and often with blue kyanite.
How to tell if ruby in fuchsite is real
How to tell if ruby in fuchsite is real is mostly a matter of looking closely. Real pieces show rubies with hexagonal or barrel shapes and a dull, slightly purplish red, set in mica that sparkles as you tilt it. Glass or resin imitations look too even, with uniform color and "rubies" that have no crystal shape. A low price is normal for the real thing: these are opaque, low-grade rubies, not gems.
Ruby in fuchsite care: water and sun
Ruby in fuchsite care is easy on the rubies and gentle on the mica. A quick rinse in water is fine for polished pieces, but do not soak them: fuchsite is soft and layered, water can work into raw pieces, and long soaks can loosen flakes. Dry it right away with a soft cloth. Sun is not a problem, because chromium colors are stable in light.
Ruby in fuchsite meaning
Ruby in fuchsite meaning, in crystal lore, is love and emotional balance, with the red read as the heart and the green as healing. That is belief, not chemistry, and any claimed ruby in fuchsite benefits sit in the same box. The history belongs to ruby itself: in ancient Sanskrit it was called ratnaraj, king of precious stones, and today it is the birthstone for July.
Ruby in fuchsite for sale
Ruby in fuchsite for sale on geoslut arrives in drops: each piece is one of one, photographed in daylight, with the mineral and locality on its label, and the list hears about every drop first.
Ruby in Fuchsite FAQ
Can ruby in fuchsite go in water?
Ruby in fuchsite can go in water for a quick rinse, but it should not soak, because the mica matrix is soft and layered.
Is ruby in fuchsite a real ruby?
Ruby in fuchsite contains real ruby, the same corundum as gem ruby, but the crystals are opaque and low grade.
What is the difference between ruby in fuchsite and ruby zoisite?
The difference between ruby in fuchsite and ruby zoisite is the green matrix: soft, glittery chromium mica in fuchsite, and harder zoisite with black hornblende in ruby zoisite. Ruby zoisite comes from Tanzania; most ruby in fuchsite comes from India.
Where is ruby in fuchsite found?
Ruby in fuchsite is found mainly in India, in metamorphic rock where corundum grew inside chromium-rich mica.
Sources
- Fuchsite and ruby in fuchsite, Geology.com
- Ruby, July birthstone, GIA
- Corundum, Wikipedia