Skip To Content
Go to gemstones.com homepage
Sign In
Recommended searches
Gemopedia
  • Ruby
  • Sapphire
  • Tanzanite
  • Diamond
  • Emerald
  • Opal
  • Moissanite
  • Peridot
  • All Gemstones in Gemopedia
Shop Gemstones
  • Shop Jedora Gemstones
  • Shop JTV Gemstones
Videos
  • All About Black Diamonds
  • Unboxing a Million Dollars in Gemstones!
  • Unboxing Emeralds: Gemologist vs. Geologist
  • Unboxing Rough Diamonds
  • Unboxing Garnet: Rhodolite, Pyrope, Demantoid
  • Marvel Cinematic Gemstones
  • All About Pearls and How They're Made
  • Fun Facts About Tanzanite
  • Freshwater Pearls vs. Saltwater Pearls
  • All Videos
Articles
  • Gemstone Collecting
  • Gemstone Beauty
  • Gemstone Color
  • Gemstone Origins
  • Optical Properties
  • Rare Gemstone Collecting
  • Gemstone Luster
  • Phenomenal Gemstones
  • All Articles
Showcase Collections
  • Quartz Gemstones
  • Organic Gemstones
  • American Gemstones
  • Birthstones
  • Mineral Specimens
  • Colors of Tourmaline
  • All Showcases
About Us
  • About Us
Feedback
  • Survey
Account
  • Account Information
  • Author Biography
  • Articles
  • Gemstones Home
  • Gemopedia

By Tim Matthews, JD, FGA, GG, DGA,
CEO and President of JTV (retired)
Published: June 2014
Modified: August 2023
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Copy Link
Table of Contents
  • General Information
  • null Colors
  • Countries of Origin
  • History
  • Care

Painite is a rare borate mineral named after British mineralogist and gem dealer Arthur Charles Davy Pain in 1951. The mineral is often associated with corundum in gem gravels. Pain originally thought the material to be ruby, but after additional study it was found to be a new mineral in 1957. It is extremely rare, and it is currently only known to come from a few locations in Myanmar. The crystal typically forms in elongated hexagonal prisms, but sometimes can be pseudo-orthorhombic.

General Information

  • Classification
  • Optical Properties
  • Characteristic Physical Properties
  • Chemistry & Crystallography
Common Name
Painite
Transparency
Semitranslucent-Transparent
Refractive Index
1.787-1.816
Birefringence
0.027- 0.029
Optic Character
Uniaxial
Optic Sign
Negative
Polariscope Reaction
Doubly Refractive (DR)
Fluorescence
SWUV: Reddish or greenish
LWUV: Inert to strong red
Pleochroism
Dichroic, strong red, brownish orange to reddish orange or yellowish brown to brownish violet
Hardness
8
Streak
White
Specific Gravity
3.996-4.030 Typical 4.01
Toughness
Good
Inclusions
Feathers
Luster
Vitreous
Stability
Brittle
Fracture
Irregular and Uneven or conchoidal
Cleavage
None
Chemical Name
Calcium Zirconium Aluminum Borate
Chemical Formula
CaZrAl9O15(BO3)
Crystal System
Hexagonal
Chemistry Classification
Borate

null Colors

  • Brown
    Brown
  • Orange
    Orange
  • Red
    Red

Countries of Origin

Myanmar

History

In 1951 the British mineralogist and gem dealer Arthur Charles Davy Pain found the first specimen of Painite in Ohngaing, Mogok district, Sagaing, Myanmar. Until recent finds in Myanmar the British Natural History Museum possessed the only known specimen weighing 1.7 grams.

Care

Normal Care

Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Sign up for the latest from Gemstones.com!

 
 
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
  • Request a Partner Invitation
  • Your Privacy Choices CCPA Icon

©  America's Collectibles Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.