Rarest Gemstones In The World
Rarest Gemstones In The World
As we all know, the Earth’s crust is full of minerals, each more rare and valuable than the next. Yet when we think of precious stones,which gemstones came in your mind? Most of us will say diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies etc.However, there are so many gemstones that are even more rare and, in turn, even more valuable. We have created a list of rarest gemstones on earth, so let's get started.
Poudretteite
Poudretteite is one of gem which made its place in the list of rarest gemstones found on earth. Poudretteite is a faded pink crystal and small fragments were found in Quebec, Canada in the 1960s. Now you must be wondering why the name of this gemstone is Poudretteite because it was named after the Poudrette family which owned the mine where the stone was found. Poudretteite has been confused with Scapolite, which is a group of rock forming silicate minerals. Poudretteite comprises of Sodium, Boron, Potassium and Oxygen.
Tanzanite
Do you know Tanzanite is so rare that it's believed to be at risk of being mined out within 20-30 years. Tanzanite is only found in a very small area located in Tanzania. This gemstone is incredibly rare and highly valued in the jewellery industry. This gemstone is a blue/violet variety of zoisite. The mineral is trichroic, meaning it appears to be a different colour in different lighting. In order for tanzanite to get its much sought-after colour, the gem needs to be heat-treated. Tanzanite is discovered by Ali Juuyawatu (A Masai Tribesman), in 1967. Tanzanite is even more rare than diamonds. This gemstone comprises of Silicon, Calcium, Aluminum and Oxygen.
Benitoite
Benitoite is a rare blue coloured gemstone. Benitoite is a soft mineral and is unsuitable for jewellery. The stone gets its name from the area in which it’s found near San Benito River. Gemstone quality Benitoite has only been found in the Californian Benito Gem Mine. Benitoite has also been identified in Japan, Australia and Arkansas. It, however, appears to grow in small quantities and in slightly different conditions to the original Californian stone. This gem comprises of Silicon, Barium, Titanium and Oxygen. What's unusual about this stone is that it looks like glowing, brilliant blue chalk under UV light.
Red Beryl
Beryl varieties are already relatively rare. Examples are emeralds and morganite. Red beryl however is the rarest. The gemstone has only been found in several locations in Utah and New Mexico. What makes red beryl so rare is its intense red hue. Red beryl is formed due to the replacement of aluminium atoms with manganese. A feature of the gemstone is that it’s usually found highly included, similarly to its cousin stone emerald. This gemstone is composed of Silicon, Beryllium Aluminum and Oxygen. Red beryl is also known as Bixbite or Red Emerald.
Alexandrite
This is the another gemstone which belongs to our rarest gemstone category. The amazing color changing stone Alexandrite was discovered in 1830 in the Ural Mountains in Russia and named after Russian Tsar Alexander II. In sunlight Alexandrite is green but when exposed to candlelight, it appears as magenta. This brought about the saying "emerald by day, ruby at night." This gem is composed of Aluminum, Beryllium and Oxygen.
Jadeite
Another rarest gemstone on earth is Jadeite. It appears in varying shades of green, from pale to apple, jadeite in an intense, translucent green is considered the top of class. It is particularly prized for its long history, having been traced back to ancient Mesoamerica where the hard and dense mineral was used in tools and weaponry. Jadeite has been the Jade of choice for many Chinese artists throughout history and it is composed of Iron, Sodium, Aluminum, Silicon and Oxygen.
You must be wondering that the list of rarest gemstones in the world is so short, but its not so. There is a long list of rarest gemstones in the world so we'll be publishing the next part in our next blog. See you there.
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