A Geoscience Digital Image Library
A Geoscience Digital Image Library
| Title | Rubellite in lepidolite |
|---|---|
| Description | Rubellite is the pink variety of tourmaline. Most tourmalines follow the basic chemical formula of AX3Y6(BO3)3Si6O18(O,OH,F)4. The pink color comes from Fe in the Y spot and Mn in the X spot. Tourmalines have some unique properties such that they are piezoelectric which means that when a crystal is heated, compressed or vibrated a different electrical charge will form at opposite ends of the crystal. Conversely if an electrical potential is applied to the crystal, it will vibrate. They are also pleochroic. This sample is approximately 10 cm. |
| Location | USA ▹ South Dakota. Near Black Hills. |
| Photographer | Shannon Heinle. 2001-11-28. |
| Collection | University of North Dakota Mineralogy Collection #1313. |
| Key words | rubellite, tourmaline |
| Tech details | 1.06 MB. Hand specimen. Fujifilm FinePix S1Pro digital camera. |
| GeoDIL number | 1853 |
 | |