Spinel (Ruby Spinel) (GEM “floater”!)It has been next to impossible to obtain gem quality Spinel specimens from Burma these days it seems. This single floater crystal is a classic Burmese "Ruby Spinel" with very sharp, defined, lustrous, octahedral faces, and is about 95% WATER CLEAR with a vibrant pink red interior color. A very good quality textbook octahedron for the species. This piece was mined around 2000 and is one of the finest Spinels from the collection of my father, Richard A.

and there’s even a bit of attached matrix on the back

and a coating of a secondary clay mineral

This is why the "Copper Roses" from New Mexico are so extraordinary

This is a great rarity to find prismatic Morganite from any locality

This one is distinct

fairly thick blade of Ferberite is surrounded by several smaller blades and one little “closed” twin of equal quality

there were very few found

There is a bit of sub-surface iron inclusions

single finger-shaped cast of Prehnite replacing Anhydrite that is flaring out of the center of the specimen

Specimens with crystals this size are not common from this locality

As you can see from the backlit photo

A wonderful single crystal of Bournonite showing BRIGHT metallic luster