Spinel

Spinel is a cubic mineral belonging to the spinelids group.
The name probably comes from the Latin spina - ton, according to sharp octahedral crystals.

Spinels, however, offer the same variety of colors as sapphires. The historically oldest spinel site was the giant infusions of Sri Lanka. Around 500 BC the first Badakhshan, now Tajik pink to wine spinels, may have been found, admired by the Persian kings and saves. Around 1000 AD the extraction of these spinels from the Pamira and Hindukse intersections has grown, and from there a balanced spinel is also adorned with many distinguished European jewels. Spinel is softer than corundum, but it is a beautiful stone, healers are very protective, and he enjoyed great popularity in India.

Identification:
Color blue, yellow, green, red, salmon, purple, ...
Appearance of octahedral crystal, dodecahedron
The cubic system
Hardness 8
Glossy glass
Scarcity dishonest
Refractive index 1,712-1,762
Gray gray
Density 3.57-3.72 g / cm³