Questions to Answer
1. Name: What is the name of the rock/mineral? What are the origins of that name?
2. Description: Give a brief description of the rock/mineral. What color is it? How hard is it? What is its luster (is it shiny and see through or dull)?
3. Classification: What kind of rock or mineral is it? (Igneous, metamorphic, etc.)
4. Location: Where is this gem typically found? (Countries, and is it mined, volcanoes, etc.)
5. Uses: What is it mostly used for?
6. Interesting Fact: Something awesome/cool about it
7. Picture
Here is my example report:
Ms. Valerie
1/15/14
The Red, Red Ruby
Name:
Ruby. The word “ruby”
comes from the Latin word “ruber,” which means “red.”
Description:
Rubies are red gemstones
that range from light pink to blood-red in color. They are one of the hardest
minerals; only diamonds and moissanite are harder. They have a vitreous luster,
which means the stones are transparent and reflect light, like glass. Rubies
are one of four “precious stones,” the others being diamonds, sapphires, and
emeralds.
Classification:
Rubies are a variety of
the mineral corundum.
Location:
The Mogok Valley in
Upper Myanmar (Burma) was where most rubies were mined, but few have been found
there recently. They have also been mined in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, India, Afghanistan,
and Pakistan. Some have been found in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, Vietnam,
Nepal, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. In the United States, rubies have been found
in Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wyoming. Recently some have
been found in Greenland, Macedonia, and Kenya.
Uses:
Rubies are mostly used
in ornamental jewelry.
Interesting Facts:
1. Rubies have always been valued
in Asian countries. They were used to ornament armor, scabbards, and harnesses of
noblemen in India and China. Rubies were also laid beneath the foundation of
buildings to secure good fortune to the structure.
2. In the book The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy originally wore silver slippers, but when the movie was made, the directors changed them to ruby slippers in order to take advantage of their new ability to film in color.
