Spinel is a mineral that owes its beautiful color to chromium, much like rubies and emeralds do. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale (diamond has a hardness of 10). Spinel is seen in a wide range of colors: red, lavender, violet, blue, green, brown, black. It increase physical energy and stamina. It seems spinel also has an effect on mental stamina as it is said to reduce forgetfulness and boost intellectual power.
- Group: Spinel
- Refractive index: 1.718
- Birefringence: -
- Specific gravity: 3.60/ +0.10, -0.03
- Crystal system: Cubic
- Hardness: 8
- Inclusions: Octahedral crystal as inclusions
- Origin: Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and lesser amounts from Tanzania and Tajikistan.