Ruby in Marble - Jagdalek, Afghanistan

Brightly-coloured minerals with contrasting matrix make for visually-interesting specimens. Our small corundum (variety ruby) in white marble from Afghanistan is an excellent example. It is bright "pigeon's blood red" in sparkly marble; another unidentified orange-brown species is also present. The ruby is well-crystallized with a barrel shape slightly tapering towards both ends. Like all rubies, this specimen shows incredible fluorescence under UV light. Mounted in a perky box. 

Mineral: Corundum (variety Ruby)
Locality: Jagdalek, Afghanistan
Crystal System: Trigonal
Mineral Class: Oxides
Short Wave Ultraviolet response: Bright red
Dimensions: 2 cm × 3 cm