Rubellite is the red to pink variety of elbaite tourmaline, highly prized by collectors for its vibrant saturated hues. It is typically found in pegmatites as elongated, deeply striated prismatic crystals that often exhibit distinct pleochroism.
Is this rubellite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch rubellite with a known reference. Rubellite sits at Mohs 7-7.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Rubellite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Rubellite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, red, magenta, purplish-red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: elongated prismatic crystals with rounded triangular cross-sections, often striated.
Often confused with
Rubellite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside rubellite
Minerals reported to co-occur with rubellite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na(Li,Al)₃Al₆(BO₃)₃Si₆O₁₈(OH)₄
- Mohs hardness
- 7-7.5
- Density
- 3.02-3.06 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Elongated Prismatic Crystals with Rounded Triangular Cross-sections, Often Striated
- Cleavage
- Indistinct
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Gemstone, Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $50-500 per carat for high quality gem material
Where rockhounds find rubellite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Nuristan, Afghanistan
- San Diego County, USA
- Madagascar
- Nigeria
Field-hunting tip
Look in granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where rubellite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, feldspar, mica in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a elongated prismatic crystals with rounded triangular cross-sections, often striated habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in North Carolina — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find rubellite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
