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Painite
Painite is borates (calcium zirconium aluminum borate), CaZrAl9O15(BO3). In the hand, it rates 8 on the Mohs scale, and it runs brownish red and garnet red. Deep brownish-red hexagonal prisms from Myanmar with hardness 8 and notable heft, visually a dead ringer for garnet, which is exactly why it hid in collections for decades.
The geology.
Painite carries the formula CaZrAl9O15(BO3). It belongs to the hexagonal system. On paper it is borates (calcium zirconium aluminum borate).
It sits at 8 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads vitreous. Light behaviour is transparent to translucent. Specific gravity runs 4.01. The streak is white. It breaks with no cleavage; conchoidal fracture.
Deep brownish-red hexagonal prisms from Myanmar with hardness 8 and notable heft, visually a dead ringer for garnet, which is exactly why it hid in collections for decades.
Expect to see it as elongated hexagonal prisms, small faceted stones or rough pebbles.
The origins.
Mogok and Wetlu (Myanmar) gem gravels and marble contact zones, essentially nowhere else on Earth.
On value, the database notes: extremely rare; clean faceted stones command thousands per carat.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, painite is treated as a rarity stone symbolizing improbable discovery and hidden worth.
Recorded here because it is part of how this material is sold, not because it is a property of the material.
Spotting the real thing.
Deep brownish-red hexagonal prisms from Myanmar with hardness 8 and notable heft, visually a dead ringer for garnet, which is exactly why it hid in collections for decades.
Garnets and dark rubies get optimistically labeled 'painite' at gem shows, the price of the real thing makes verification mandatory.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Garnet (almandine) | Garnet is cubic (dodecahedral forms, no hexagonal prism) and slightly softer; only lab work separates faceted stones |
| Ruby | Ruby is harder (9) and fluoresces strong red; painite's fluorescence is weak |
| Zircon | Zircon shows strong doubling of back facets under a loupe |
At-home tests.
None of these need a lab. A 10x loupe, good daylight and a steady hand cover most of what a buyer needs to know about painite.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Scratch check | Hexagonal prism habit with hardness 8 narrows it fast |
| By eye | Pleochroic red-to-brownish on rotation |
| By eye | Any serious specimen deserves lab confirmation, the name carries a premium |
Destructive tests belong to a gemologist, not a kitchen table. If a piece matters to you, pay for an appraisal before you take a file to it.
Care & handling.
At 8 on the Mohs scale it stands up to everyday wear. It will still chip on a hard knock, so treat edges and points with respect.
It breaks with no cleavage; conchoidal fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Clean it by hand, dry it properly, and keep it away from ultrasonic cleaners and hot steam.
Very mildly radioactive from trace zirconium-uranium substitution, of no practical concern in a specimen.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is CaZrAl9O15(BO3). Crystal system: Hexagonal. Specific gravity: 4.01. Streak: White. Cleavage and fracture: No cleavage; conchoidal fracture.
How it reaches the market
Mogok and Wetlu (Myanmar) gem gravels and marble contact zones, essentially nowhere else on Earth.
What it gets confused with
Garnet (almandine): Garnet is cubic (dodecahedral forms, no hexagonal prism) and slightly softer; only lab work separates faceted stones. Ruby: Ruby is harder (9) and fluoresces strong red; painite's fluorescence is weak. Zircon: Zircon shows strong doubling of back facets under a loupe.
What it is worth
Extremely rare; clean faceted stones command thousands per carat.
Where buyers get caught
Garnets and dark rubies get optimistically labeled 'painite' at gem shows, the price of the real thing makes verification mandatory.
One more thing
For 45 years only three crystals existed, making Guinness call painite the world's rarest mineral, then 2001 finds in Myanmar turned 'three known stones' into a few thousand, still vanishingly rare.
An education-first guide.
We do not stock painite. Writing it up regardless is the point of a reference library.
Explore the Crystal Guide