Rubinite

Where it forms, where it's found

Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) from the CV3 chondrites. Are high-temperature primary garnets formed either by gas-solid condensation and/or igneous crystallization under highly reducing conditions in the solar nebula.

phosphide-bearing breccia from the pyrometamorphic Hatrurim Complex, Negev Desert, Israel

Allende meteorite

Pueblito de Allende
Chihuahua
Mexico

26.9667°, -105.3167°

5recorded occurrences

Source · OpenStreetMap

Physical

Colour: bluish brown
Density: 3.63 g/cm³

Crystallography

Crystal system: Isometric
Space group: Ia3d
Cell parameters: a = 12.0193(4) Å
Z: 8
Type-locality form: Irregular to subhedral crystals, ~0.5‒1 μm, 1-8 μm in size in Allende, 2-25 μm in size in Efremovka .

Crystal structure

Chemical composition

Constituent elements: Mass composition breakdown
Element Atoms At. mass g/mol Mass g/mol Mass share
8OOxygen Oxygen 12 15.999 191.988
39.00%
20CaCalcium Calcium 3 40.078 120.234
24.43%
22TiTitanium Titanium 2 47.867 95.734
19.45%
14SiSilicon Silicon 3 28.085 84.255
17.12%
Total 492.211 100.00%
Mass share = atoms × atomic mass ÷ molar mass × 100
From IMA formula

Mass composition breakdown
Element	Atoms	At. mass g/mol	Mass g/mol	Mass share
8OOxygen	Oxygen	12	15.999	191.988	39.00%
20CaCalcium	Calcium	3	40.078	120.234	24.43%
22TiTitanium	Titanium	2	47.867	95.734	19.45%
14SiSilicon	Silicon	3	28.085	84.255	17.12%
	Total	492.211	100.00%

Synonyms

IMA2016-110
Rubiniet

In other languages

German: IMA 2016-110 · Rubinit
Italian: Rubinite

Classification

Strunz

10th ed.

9.AD.25

9SilicatesClass
9.ANesosilicatesDivision
9.ADNesosilicates without additional anions; cations in [6] and/or greater coordinationGroup
9.AD.25RubiniteSpecies

Group, growth & confusion

14 members

Literature, links & citation

Citations

2017Ma, C., Yoshizaki, T., Krot, A.N., Beckett, J.R., Nakamura, T., Nagashima, K., Muto, J., Ivanova, M.A. (2017) Discovery of rubinite, Ca3Ti23+Si3O12, a new garnet mineral in refractory inclusions from carbonaceous chondrites. 80th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society 2017 (LPI Contribution No. 1987), 6023.pdf.
2017Hålenius, U., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2017) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2017. CNMNC Newsletter No 36. Mineralogical Magazine, 81 (2) 403-409 doi:10.1180/minmag.2017.081.022DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2017.081.022
2021(2021) Rubinite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America
2025Galuskin, Evgeny V.; Galuskina, Irina; Kusz, Joachim; Vapnik, Yevgeny; Zieliński, Grzegorz (2025) Discovery of terrestrial rubinite, Ca₃Ti³⁺₂Si₃O₁₂, super-reduced garnet from the Hatrurim Complex, Israel. Mineralogical Magazine, 1-11 doi:10.1180/mgm.2025.3DOI: 10.1180/mgm.2025.3
2025Ma, Chi, Yoshizaki, Takashi, Krot, Alexander N., Beckett, John R., Nakamura, Tomoki, Nagashima, Kazuhide, Muto, Jun, Ivanova, Marina A., Ulyanov, Alexander A. (2025) Rubinite, Ca3Ti23+Si3O12, a new mineral in CV3 carbonaceous chondrites and a refractory garnet from the solar nebula. American Mineralogist, 110 (3). doi:10.2138/am-2024-9435DOI: 10.2138/am-2024-9435

Cite this entry

@misc{mineral2026,
  author    = {Mineral Index editorial board},
  title     = {Rubinite — Mineral Index},
  year      = {2026},
  url       = {https://mineralindex.org/minerals/rubinite-51587},
  note      = {Accessed 2026-05-11}
}