Gem Rocks

What is Corundum?

Corundum is a rock-forming mineral that is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is an aluminum oxide with a chemical composition of Al2O3 and a member of the trigonal crystal system.

The mineral is widely known for its extreme hardness and for the fact that it is sometimes found as beautiful transparent crystals in many different colors. The extreme hardness makes corundum an excellent abrasive, and when that hardness is found in beautiful crystals, you have the perfect material for cutting gemstones.

Natural and synthetic corundum are used in a wide variety of industrial applications because of their toughness, hardness, and chemical stability. They are used to make industrial bearings, scratch-resistant windows for electronic instruments, wafers for circuit boards, and many other products

Calcite
Calcite is made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Generally white to clear, calcite is easily scratched with a knife. Due to the presence of carbonates (CO3), calcite reacts to most acids (such as hydrochloric acid, HCl) and effervesces on contact. Most seashells are made of calcite or related minerals. Calcite can be found in many cave and karst formations such as the calcite features at:

Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota