Red minerals

Red minerals

Rubies are probably the best known red minerals. Ruby is the precious red form of the mineral corundum - second only to diamond in hardness. Ruby is coloured red because it contains a tiny amount of the metal chromium - the same metal that makes emerald green!

Hematite is a reddish-brown ore mineral of iron, and its name comes from the Greek word meaning 'blood'. Fire opals are orangy-red, and realgar and cinnabar are also red minerals. Beryl can also come in shades of red and pink.

Realgar, fire opal and red beryl are all examples of red minerals.