Spinel

specimen number:
2063363

location:
Mogok, Pyin-Oo-Lwin, Mandalay, Myanmar

description:
Deep red lustrous slightly translucent loose crystal of octahedral spinel. In great condition.

Mogok, located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar (Burma), is situated within the Mogok Metamorphic Belt, a geologically famous zone of high-grade metamorphic marbles, schists, and granitic intrusions. Gem-quality spinel forms primarily within these Precambrian to early Cenozoic marbles through contact and regional metamorphism, as well as in alluvial gravel deposits known as byon. Mining for spinel in Mogok dates back centuries alongside ruby extraction, though historical collectors and miners often conflated red spinel with ruby until modern gemology distinguished them. Today, Mogok is world-renowned among collectors for producing some of the finest octahedral spinel crystals in the world, prized for their exceptional clarity and brilliant colors ranging from fiery red and hot pink to vibrant blue.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.