Be Filled with New Hope This New Year with Spinel

Spinel is a hard, brilliant magnesium aluminum oxide mineral that comes in nearly every colour, and in crystal lore it is a stone of hope and renewed energy. It is a favourite with faceted and cabochon buyers and with collectors of mineral specimens. According to Geology.com, spinel means 3 things in geology and gemology:

• Spinel the mineral - A magnesium aluminum oxide mineral (MgAl2O4) with an isometric crystal structure (displaying a cubic shape).
• Gemstone - Spinel is also a prized gem; a birthstone for the month of August and the stone of the Virgo season.
• Mineral group - The collective name for a group of metal oxide minerals having a common crystal structure.

Spinel the gemstone is one of the most prized gems due to its excellent luster, hardness, and durability. Pure spinel is colourless. However, it is usually included with various minerals like chromium, cobalt, and iron resulting in a wide spectrum of spinel varieties.

The Physical Properties of Spinel

Spinel occurs in many colours (ranging from rich, dark colours to very light pastels): red, pink, blue, violet, purple, yellow, green, black, and gray. The most popular ones are red and blue spinels which are often mistaken as ruby and sapphire. These colours are produced by chromium, cobalt, and iron impurities in the stone.

In terms of hardness, spinel is rated 8 on the Mohs scale. Due to its outstanding toughness, all cleaning techniques for gemstones are safe for spinel. It's important to store this hard stone separately from your softer gems to prevent the latter from scratching and damage. Spinel is widely used as a jewellery material and as a durable substitute for glass.

The History of Spinel

It is believed that the name spinel was derived from the Greek word spitha which means spark or spinthir meaning sparkly. It forms as cubic, granular, massive, or compact crystals in igneous and metamorphic rocks such as marble, gneiss, and serpentine.

Spinel was often mistaken for corundum because of its brilliant orange-red colour. In 1783, French mineralogist Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle made the distinction between rubies and spinels.

It was then that stones assumed to be rubies were identified as spinel gems, like the famous Black Prince's Ruby and the Timur Ruby owned by Queen Elizabeth II.

Some historical accounts state that as far back as the 1500s, gem traders in Myanmar were the first to tell spinels apart from rubies based on their diagnostic and optical properties.

There are several spinel deposits all over the world. But historically, Southeast Asia used to be the richest source of spinel. Today, spinel is found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

The Lore of Spinel

Since ancient times, spinel has been considered a stone of abundance. Kings and emperors wore the stone as a symbol of wealth and opportunity, and in old folklore it stood for vigour and strength.

The Metaphysical Properties of Spinel

As a stone of vigour, spinel is associated in lore with all 7 chakras. It is the traditional stone of enthusiasm and motivation, and of fresh starts after a hard season.

In lore, spinel is the stone of hope and inspiration, and many people reach for it for a fresh perspective at the start of a new year.

Some people like to hold or wear spinel while they sit quietly. It is a pleasant ritual, not a substitute for professional advice on health.

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